Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-12
Eeportorial or Reporterial.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Among the startling discoveries that occs-
sionally fash, like a search light. upon the pub
lie. and make us all feel like inquiring where
we are at" one of the latest Is that for which
the Chicago Herald is given credit in THE STAB
of the 9Th instant relating to the word .'repor-
torial"
Notwithstanding the positive character Of the
Herald utterances. it is by no means certain
that the great mass of journalists and English
scholars in general are ready TO accept final
the ipse diXit of any one individual in deter
mining what is ''allo wable" or proper in the use
of the English language.
The relations between the written word and
Its oral equivalent are so intimate that word
criticism naturally involves consideration OF
both the written and the spoken form. In the
latter the standard OF correctness is based upon
analogy, eUphony and custom. the first of
which gives way. in very many instances. TO
the second. and both in their turn are frequently
set aside by custom. while the written form
(under our present photographic sys.em) serves
the two-fOld purpose of preserving the etyfnol-
ogy of the word and indicating its pronuncia-
ton.
Every careful stadent of English must have
| observed that in the formation of derivatives
some modification Of either the afix or the
| primary word (or its intermediate derivative)
Is necessary in order that the several parts may
! harmonic
In case OF the prefix such modification is usu-
ally found in the afix itself. while in ci.se OF the
suiiix the modification more generally occurs in
the portion preceding the sufiix. Thus. the
accent may be (aad frequently isl shifted. the
terminal letter of the original word may be
I oIIminated or changed. syllable thereof may
be changed. or am additional syllable inter
/ posed. w any two or more of these modifcs-
/ tons NAV and often do occu- in the same deriv-
ative word. II is desirable thar the voice should
! glide readily and smoothly from one SYLLABLE 70
] another without such suppression of tie vowel
sound in ANY as would interfere with clear and
distinct utterance.
| The examinations "or' and ser +" in nouns.
| both Indicate one that acts or does. and adj
/ jectives derived from them ending in al
! may relate either to the act or calling of such
/ actor or coc- (as in enthusiastically. 20 tine
/ thing done or produced ,as IN pictorial
The Procrustean analogy Of the Hrold would
demand tine restoration OF the obsolete adjective
''p.c'ural' derived directly from picture, TO
which II relates). TO take the place OF - ictor-
! Ia tdeFlyed from the Latin r,ictor. paintorl,
since the word pictorial refers invariably 10
, the picture rather shan the picture maker.
nc essential iars q! tl- sI-EN ''-s'. % tas
I a the meaning l. Corc,r.l, =. !. a.. the 7
being pre- ,c'j Only ,5rc h.raoiCIs I'M IN
! Ministerial nsipsaiis fr.icas .'lHInlnse-.
| since the successive vowel sounds are closely
| related. and 10 lack OF harmony or obscuTiiy
of utteranee is en;a.led by such formation, but
| the accented liable In reporter. containing
more open vowel sound. will no; harmonizs
| with long c in a succeeding accented SYLLABLE.
Hence. IN pronouucing 'roporterlal We are
| forced TO place a stress upon the second sviih-
BILE amounting almost to an accent, thus
practically prolonRing the word. or to suppress
the sound OF Its principal vowel 10 such an eh-
tent that the leading idea embodied therein
| shall be completely LOST. thus pronouncing ns
| word as if written ''rcpcrtfrial."
| These considerations evidently led TO the SUP
| stitution Of ''or for FER. and with BON
euphony and custom behind the accepted form
| -reportorial-it j. in but little danger Of being
supplanted by the unwieldy farIa-reporterisL
1t may not not be amss TO suggest 10 the HeTdia
that correct journalism find wider scope
| IN the proper use of language already maze
than in making language or in ovcrturning cr
I tablishcd usage which IL itself important
| member of that tribunal before which all ap
| peals must lie in matters linguistic
| Minder building, June II, 20. ". L. CARR-
| q Mail adyices from Honduras state that. nc,
cordIng 10 government circulars. all towns anu
departments have Endorsed the administration
Of Gen. Nasquez.
dispatch from Artigas states that IN an en-
gaSement near Bage the Brazilian revolution
any troops commanded by Gen. Saraivs ~sfs
defeated.