Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-04-24
+ HEARD IN ENGLAND.

trcacle, writes Eugene Field in the
Chicago News. l study to be correct
oven in little matters Of this kind, but
find it very hard to conform to English
as it is spoken this side of the saline
pool.
Quite at random I made up list of
articles to which tho English assign
names differing from those we use:
That which VIC call bowl is here
known as basin. In England you ask
for basin Of bread and milk.
That which is known to us as pitcher
is hero called a jug.
A donkey hero is called mole; in
America a moke is negro. Local slang
for cab-horse is eats meat" because
the meat of horses is peddlcd around
the streets for feeding TO cats. BY the
way, British cats average much larger
than our American cats, and they are
notorious chicken-killcrs. The brindle
cat seems to be the commonest.
What we call crackers are here called
biscuit, and / suspect that this is strict
ly correct.
What we call shoes are here known
as boots, and what we call boots arc
here known as bluchcrs. There is one
shoe called the hilo, because it runs
high from the heel up back of the ankle
and is cut low in front.
Our druggist is here a chemist, many,
of the older practitioners retaining the
old spelling
What wo call ale is here known as
bitter beer.
What is hero known as a hash we
should call stew, and what we call
hash is here known as a mince.
In Engla land our oyercoat becomes a
great coat, our undcrshirt becomes q
vest. and our drawers become panta-
looms. It is said that when George w.
Chiids, of Philadelphia, was in London
number of years ago he walked into a
habcrdashery, and, seeking to appear to
be native, asked to be shown the
styles in silk waistcoats. "Jeemes,"
cried the proprietor to his assistant,
step this way and show this Hameri-
can gentleman our flowery weskits!"
What we call sick tho Engiishman
calls i'll; sickness here implies nausea
and vomiting. The British usage is
wrong; but the late Richard Grant
White settled the point pretty definite
ly. How came the British to fall into
this pCrvcrsion? 1t was, I think, be-
cause the British can go nowhere except
by water; that travel by water induces
unpleasant symptoms of nausea and
rctching, which condition, called sick
ness, gradually camo to be regarded as
tho correct definition OF the word sick
ness. / can't imagine how the British
justify their uso of tho words homesick,
hoartsiclI and lovCSicl1.
Oar wheat is called corn, and our corn
IL called mniZn Indian
corn. Pigs feet are called trotters. by
the way, u theatrical name for bad
actor is rottcr.
a 'chiIl' is hero called a "rigor," and
the eruption commonly known among
us as "hivcs" is hero known as ''nettlo-
RASH" Candy is variouSly known as
''sweets," ''sweetmcats" and "lolly."
Writing to John Smith, your social
equal, you are expected to address him
as John Smith, Esq. if he bo your
tailor, grocer, etc., you address him as
hIr. John Smith.
Tho word "apt" is exceedingly popu-
lar hero. 1t is "apt to rain," APT to be
muddy" man is 'apt to go down
town." bank is "apt to suspend etc.
Even the best prints uso this word as
synonym for "likcly" and ''like."
Another tGfbarism everywhere preva-
lent in the United Kingdom is the use
OF tho adverb "directly" for the con-
junction las soon as"-e. e., ''directly he
went out | shut tho door" Charles
Dickens, who was quite slovenly at
times, seems to have been addicted to
this indcfcnsib,e vice.
What does this British word cleft
tenant" mean? should like to know.
Quite" is another hackneycd word
hero; 1t is edged in upon cvcry occasion.
Tho first criticism would pass upon
the press of London would bo for tho
lndircctnrss OF its speech. Whom a
newspaper writer wishes TO convey tho
i0oa that yesterday was pleasant day,
nc says: yesterday was not an UNI
pleasant day" A good play IS mot
nail bad" humorous speech is mot
I ~ II Fnh L. "a 4