New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-28
IJSAGES OF ENGLISH SPEECH.
AN INTERESTING WORK ON THEMES THAI
ARE ALWAYS IN DISPUTE.

donct to show that the prevalent tO"i"''|" -
over the relative meaning OF VIII ana sian
mart of legitimate process in the evolution OF Eng
lsh and expresses satisfaction that Wiii' seems 70
have the best OF II. Upon boastInl remark o"ec
common lie says: at has often been sald '"a' Nv
Enel,hman ever mistakes Will ard Shall. thhR
It would be much nearer the truth 10 say t"at w.
ever used these words consistently throughout "0
says nothing OF the other remark that pcopie po'.
east OF the Hudson River also born to the correct
,,se ~ these two words but levels the deadly paraei
at the two following passages from HAWTHORNE
"W1u YOU recognize your kinsman, II he passes III
this cro~di"
Shall you lack clothes roof to shelter you
between this point and the grave?'
Thore IS every reason to fear TINT noDoHv VIII
sleep well o. nights In New England, II confidence j.
impaired In the ability OF the region to keep Its pop
ulaton In a state OF certainty as to the difference
betwa,n these troublesome auxiliary verbs MT
Ramsey has taken the trouble to compute the proper
tionste use OF Shall and VIII by authors In various
ages from Layamon to George Washington In LAY
anon the proportion of VIII TO Shall was rs .. 10
Is: In Washington as So TO Il. "The FcderaiSt'
was remarkably ccsc 20 LayamOn. the ratio being 80 "
a. But about the middle Of the long period Shall took
an extraordinary leap In Wycllfcs translation OF the
Gospeis the proportion Of Will e. shall was rs 70
TO 15O6: In &c translation Of Tyndale, ms 23o 10
SC4 and in the Authorized Version. rs 244 10 96:
Taking the works aluded to IN the order just gwen
DuOrtiOn OF VIII 10 Sldi' sIOCu It9P''N
lively as 81 to .: as TO TO- as to 3; as = to Ia
as o. to a. and as "a to II. lie adds: "Tle fate
OF al Will has been curious. At first the obvious
propriety of each ones knowing and declaring MS
own will was admitted. After time that form OF
expression for nero future was swept away by the
food tide OF shall by the fifteenth century people
becan again TO sec the logical consistency of saying
Il will: but three hundred years later the excessive
and affected moaesty Of modern times forbade any
one 20 assert lis own WILL except under extraordinary
circumstances. and we generally say i shaU'
By using this expression seem to shrh AL response
hrty and pretend that some external force or inhu
encc cJnstrains me-
OF attempts to lay down fixed rules for the use OF
these words he says, "One might as well UNDERTAKE
to define geometrically the figure OF Celebes' Bnt
he constRlcs tentative system "Will' is, he says
normal and explicit expression Of futurty with or
without volihon. the exact equivalent of the tense
signs in tile Latin amabO and the French almerGi,
while "Sha' is word Of authority and command ONLY
TO be used properly by the power which gives the COM
mand and Is presumably capable OF enforcing IT, Hc
cause commands sound harsh In the form You sha1,
the more agreeable form You wlll' or You VIII
peasc have taken its place. the ruer form being held
in reserve for signs OF reluctance or obSnacy on the
mart OF the subordinate who receives the command OF
course vher the command suck that he who utters
does him who receives II a favor the latter is rot
sensitive about the form of words used. That Is to
say would not hurt the feelings OF loyal BrtoA or
an American AngiOmaniac to be tod by the Prince o
Wales You shall accompany me-. suppoSing that HIS
Royal Highness gave commands in so direct manner
The phrase sballr is condemned by Mr.. Ramsey as
Inherently absurd but habitually used in order TO
syade the unpleasant sefasSeriiOn which attaches to
"I will" 1.-The distinction" he adds. is not Of
grammar but of polltcness. The old maxim that WI!
promises and shah predicts is good neither In law nor
morals" Tn questions he accepts shall l. and shall
he" but roundly denounceS shall You" as "onc OF
the most harsh and unpea ant expressions consistent
with the Decalogue; Shall suS0rdnatcs the person
10 whom II is applied, and In saying "Shall YOU the
person speaking commits the impoliteness Of degrad
Ing the to whom he speaks. Conditionally "Wnl'
Is used where the end proposed IS desirable Shall"
where the result is undesirable or Is matter Of in
difference Tie latter is needless In where the
present tense would do well for example. When
John shall have grown up instead Of When John
grows up" Verbs implying thought, perception, feel
Unconventional acts OF the mind-are followed by
"win" In the subordinate clause. while those express
ing intention authority on the part of the subject
are followed by Shall"
The use Of these auxiliary verbs is OF the
puzzles OF English an amusing point about the matter
bng that he who thinks lie has the problem solved is
as intolernnt medieval bishop toward all who
transgress the laws OF speech he understands them
For this reason in spite OF Mr.. Ramsey's preference
for "willn his discussion OF the theme IS good one
10 have at hand when disputes arise. On another
vcxed question. that OF ais doing" against as being
donen he giving the scotch verdict OF not
proven" lie condemns the latter phrase "incon-
venient ineegant, clumsy but oleratcS 1t because ii
can be relied to express definite meaning. while
the shorter form might De misunderstood. 1t Is not
certain whether he would translate Lord Macanlay s
emplrsic and vivid blood was shedding" into blood
was being she'd or not. In spite Of all discussion.
Good sense will probably accept both OF these forms
the more cumbrous one to be used where the other
would be OF doubtful Interpretation.
TIE whole volume is an extremely readable cola'loh
NJ facts rules and Illustrations. II is not Intended
for those already familiar with English philoogy but
for those for whom the literature OF the subject IS
d,r,cult or inaccessible. Beginning with study OF
the tncessant movement and change that characterize
nil languages while they remain In the mouths OF
PEOPLE, the author passes TO study of the sources
NJ English. OF the province Of grammar OF the pro
eesscs by which words come Into existence the cNo
lion Of the alphabet. Grimm's law accounting 'oi
changes In words among Tho Inh0 European languages
and questions OF pronunciation and spelling. TIC
second mart devoted 10 grammar traats with compare
tive fitness the parts OF speech, and the synaX Of h
language which is here held TO pertain ahno't ex
clus.vcly 10 the order OF words In sentences rathe
than 10 tcr form the case with Greek or Latn
The author contrasts these two sentences: l'
vcno.or inven,s Hum ursum Dgrum occdit-Tli'
Young hunter Killed that black hear with the comment
Thcre are seven words in each version and TO change
tho form of ono in the Latin the position OF any b
enc IN The English would alter or impair TIE sense
The Latin words might be arranged 5,O4O dihere''
vays (sevcrnl hundred OF which, Mr.. Ramsey m@h
exp,aln would have made Cicero blink his eyes In as
.orlsLce,,. ~ he had seen them in prose-. while TN
English would admit of only one change Inc cioih
chepier comprises suggestions 10 young writes whci
ore oppsrcptlv the result OF practical experience