The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-11-12
$50 Jolly English, You KnOw.o

A recent interesting conversation held
with some friends on the many points in
which speakers and centers of culture differ
from each other as to the use of certain
words and as to certain modes of expires
sion, called to mind Mr.. Wilkie. who is so
severe on English English in Sketches be-
yond the Seas" He described himself as
saying Gin reply to the question whether
Chicago policeman have to use their pistols
much), Il don't know AS they have to as
matter of law or necessity. but know they
do as matter of fact;" and we have re-
peatedly heard this incorrect use of ''as"
for THAT" in American conversation. l
have also noted in works by educated
Americans the use of the word THAT" as an
adverb. THAT excitable." ''that head
strong" and so forth. So the use of ''lay"
for ''lie" seems to me to be much COM
mOner in America than in England, though
it is too frequently heard there also. In
we'll written novelette, called "The Man
Who Was Not Colonel" the words, "YOu
was' and ''Was YOu?" are repeatedly used.
apparently without any idea that they are
ungrammatical. l am sorry to say that
they are much more frequently heard in
America than in England G refer. of
course. to the conversation of the middle
and better classes. not of the uneducated).
In this respect it is noteworthy that the
writer's of the last century resemble Amer
leans of to day; for we often meet in their
works the incorrect usage in question.
In America the word ''clever" is COM
monty understood to mean pleasant and of
good disposition, not as in England ingen-
iOuS and skillful. Thus, though an Amer.
ican may speak of person as clever
workman, meaning ingenious and skillful,
yet when he speaks of another as clever
man, he MEANS in nine cases out of ten,
that the man is good company and we'll
natured. Sometimes, am told, the word
is used to signify generous or liberal. In
like manner. the words cunning" and
''cute" are often used by us for ''pretty."
The word mad" among us seems nearly
always to mean ''angry." For ''mad," as
the English use the word. we say ''crazy."
Herein we have manifestly impaired the
language. The words ''mad" and ''crazy'
are quite distinct in their significance as
used in England, and both meanings re-
quire to be expressed in ordinary parlance.
1t is obviously mistake to make one word
do duty for both, and to use the word
mad" to imply what is already expressed
by other and more appropriate words.
l have just used the word 'Ordinary'' in
1.-THE English sense" Among us the word
is commonly used to imply inferiority. An
''Ordinary actor" for instance. is bad
actor; very ordinary man" is man very
much below par. There is no authority for
this usage in any writer of repute. and the
usage is manifestly inconsistent with the
derivation of the word. On the other hand.
the use of the word ''hOmely" to imply
ugliness, as is usual among us, could be
justified by passages in some of the older
English writer's. That the word in Shakes
peare's time implied inferiority is shown by
the line
Homekeeping youth have ever homely wits"
In like manner. some authority may be
found for the American use of the word
ugly" to signify bad tempered.
Words are used among us which have
ceased to be commonly used in England.
and are. indeed, no longer regarded as ad-
missible. Thus, the word "unbeknOwn"
which no educated person ever uses. either
in speaking or in writing. is still used in
our common speech and by writer's OF re-
pute.
And here it may be we'll to consider our
own ''dulce domum" expression II guess"
which is often made the subject Of ridicule
by our English cousins, unaware of the fact