Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-06-20
EMBELLISHMENTS ENGLISH.
An Americans Observations Concerning
the Use OF Words In London.

| names differing from those we use:
That which we call bowl is here
known as basin. In England you
ask for a basin of bread and milk.
That which is known TO us pitcher
is here called jug.
A donkey is here called moke; in
| America mokc is negro. Local
slang for cab horse is cats meat"
because the meat of horses is pedded
around the streets for feeding TO cats.
BY the way, British cats average much
larger than our American cats, and
| they are notorious chicken-killers. The
| brindle cat seems TO be the common
| est.
What we call crackers are here
known as biscuit, and | suspect this is
strictly correct.
What we call shoes are here known
as boots. and what we call boots are
here known rs blucherS. 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-"chymist."
What we call ale is here known as
bitter beer.
What is here known as hash we
should call II stew, and what we call
hash is here known as mincc.
In England our overcoat becomes
great coat, our undershirt becomes a
vest, aud our drawers become panta-
looms. 1t is said that when George w.
Childs of Philadelphia, was in London
a number of years ago he walked into
haberdashcrs and, seeking TO appear
to be a native. asked to be shown the
styles in silk waistcoats. "Jeems."
cried the proprietor to his assistant,
''stcp this way and show this Hameri-
can gentleman our tlowery weskits!"
What we call sick the Englishman
calls i'll; sickness here implies nausea
and vomiting. The British usage is
wrong; but the late Richard Grant
White settled that point pretty definite
". How came the British to fall into
this perversion? II was, / think, be-
cause the British can go nowhere ex-
cept by water; that travel by water in
duces unpleasant symptoms OF nausea
and rctching, which condition, called
sickness. gradually came to be re-
garded as the correct definition of the
word sickness. can't imagine how
the British justify their use of the
words homesick, heartsick, and love-
sick.
Here they call street car tram;
correct. Here, too, an elevator is lift,
and that is right.
What we call telegram is here
called a telegraph; it will probably
never be determined which of these
usages is the better. Our postal card
is here a post card; cuffs become
wrists.
That material known to us rs canton
flannel is here called swans down, and
our muslin" is known hereabouts as
'calico."
Our locomotive" becomes engine"
and our conductor" is here guard"
What we call "stewing' Culinary
term) the British call 'smmering;"
our 'lunch" is here luncheon" and
our baggage" becomes luggage"
Our wheat is called corn" and
our corn" is called maize or,
are called "trotters." By the way. a
theatrical name for bad actor is rot
ter"
A chill" is here called "rigor,"
and the eruption commonly known
among us as ''hives7 is here known as
"nettle-rash." Candy is known various
~ as Sweets" ''sweetmeats," and
dolly"
Writing to John Smith, your social
equal, YOU are expected to address him
as John Smith, Esq; If he be your
tailor, grocer, etc, you address him rs
Mr.. John Smith.
The word APT" is exceedingly popu-
lar here. 1t is "apt to rain. APT to
be muddy" a man is "apt to 60 down
town." Il bank is APT to suspend" etc.
Even the best prints use this word as a
synonym for likely" and like"
lent in the United Kingdom is the use
of the adverb directly" for the con-
| junction las soon as"-c. e.. directly
he went out l shut the door" Charles
Dickens, who was quite slovenly at
times. seems to have been addicted to
this indefensible vice.
What does this British word cleft
tenant" meano / should like to know.
Quite is another hackneyed word
here; it is edged in upon every occa-
sion.
The first criticism would pass upon
the press of London would be for the
indirectness of its speech. When a
newspaper writer wishes to convey the
idea that yesterday was a pleasant day
he says: Yesterday was not an un-
pleasant day" A good play is mot
half bad" humorous speech is mot un-
relieved by wit" riotously applauded
address is mot wholly unaccented by
demonstrations of approval" and so
on. an infn. et al nduS Now all this
sort of thing may be subtle and it may
be conservative, but it is not in the
spirit of the Anglo-SaXon. aud it vexes
me to find so little of the Anglo-Saxon
in the literature, the speech, and the
practices of the very people where |
had thought to find so much Chicago
Ne1CS.
The Sound OF Light.