Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-02-28
SOME AMERlCANlSMS.
Words and Phrases Which Are Commonly
Misused.

NOTuS anu w hit N"'''t'''J
Misused.
Of course, the English language is
often incorrectly spoken in England as
well AS in this country, but, to be profit
able, criticism, like charity, ought to
begin at home,
That we are improving, no one will
dispute whose memory goes back for Il
generation, but il will do us no harm to
recall certain words and phrases still
current among us for which therereally
is no justification, Why, for instance,
do we now ''inaugurate" whatever we
do not initiate" apparently without
any idea of what the words signify?
Why do we so often commence when
we begin? Why do we give 'oyations'
to people, evidently not having rotten
eggs in mind? Why do we call an cdi-
tion of a newspaper an tissue, as if it
were something that could be healed?
Why do we have ''recitals of music on
piano forte, when we do not speak OF
playing pictures on canvas?
Why do we say "ain't' for isn't
and don't for "docsn't?' Why do we
endorse" any thing except commercial
paper and legal documents? Why dc
we say square meal when round
used 10 be the epithct for things that
are perfect and honest and admirable?
WHY do we assert that we ''have got" a
thinp when have" viii suffice, and
why do we make the pleonasm worse
by the affectation of correctness
"rotten?" Why for ''station" or rail
way station" do we substitute depot,
which is neither English nor French?
On what ground do we declare that
we do not feel like doing something,
meaning that we are not inclined to do
it? One may feel like an ass, but how
can one feel like doing, or, worse, like
eating something? Sometimes one
even hears the phrase; do you feel
like bcefstcak?" How, pray, does beef
steak feelp Why should we use "ever
so much" for very much" or describe
a man as perfectly lovely?'
In English, the adverb quit" means
"cn,irely," completely" hut when we
say that some one is quite we'll we
\ mean not that he is perfectly but only
tolerably well. We even see in Amer
lea the phrase, quite number OF per-
sons" as If one number was not as
much number as another. We talk OF
:, ..nromipcnt" citizen, intending to
describe him not as protuberant' but
simply as eminent. Them again. we
osls a friend to come round to-mor'
row, though he may have only to come
across the street. We say: You are
hereby notified" instead of: ut is here
bv notified to you" and we speak
of n fact 'transpiring," as if fact
were endowed with an apparatus for
, breathing.
WHY do we deem it elegant say that
thing was "intimated," when we
mean that II was said? And why do We
think il sounds fine to speak OF thing
hcinp definitely arranged" when we
mean that it was definitely or finally
scttlCu' Inc answer w h''' Va 49,
, questions is obviously that such ms
takes are made by persons VINO DO no.
remember, or who have not reflected OF
tho chronology of the words mentioned
which, of course, supplies the key tt
their true meaning and right use'-N
Y. Ledger. ----.---
--"Good morning. said the Pump u
5 the uydrant, checrfully. 81 dont speal
0 to such as you" replied the liydrant
' unrraciously. perhaps it is better yo,
don't +" rctortcd the Pump; II am wen
!. corrected, and you are not '-inte'
=. Ocean. -..----------
: -Grindstone. =, "Chugwater bald
Won are surely mistakenY" kl)ordan
Hes as bald as new laid egg
have seen him without bis wig.
4 know halr.otf affirm "-eh@ 'go 1F'
. bune.