Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-19
TALK UNITED STATES
THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE COMPARED
WITH THE ENGLISH.

|
the Difference In the Names Applied to
Ordinary Articles-with Some Excep-
tions We "Speak United States"
II am free, white, 81, and 1 speak
United States, " is the modern declaration
Of independence of every native adult
American citizen.
The travelled American-everything by,
turns and nothing long--who aims at cos.
mopolitanism and invariably misses the
target altogether, and the naturalized
creature of indefinite origin, may not pro-
claim for United States, " but they adopt
1t all the same, in Difference to the subtle
power politicians call the Wis major
The American language used to be Eng
fish, of course-English pure and simple,
If English ever was either pure or simple
but it has prospered on its own account,
like other things American, and now the
English language is being Americanized,
like the English nobility, and it's vivacity
is considerably benefited by the process.
That English is still the basis of Unit
ed States the most thoroughbred Amer
lean will not deny-the thoroughgoing
| American mover denies facts. the game
not being worth the candle, and he never
| plays games in the dark. The language is
the same, with a difference, and in that
lies the root of the matter and this article,
for though London and New York speak
a common, very common, Anglo-Saxon, If
we forget for the moment the veneer of
French, Latin, Greek and other languages
with which it has been polished yet the
meaning Of many words, from which Ian
| guago derives its significance, is consider
ably modified and altered in their passage
across the Atlantic, and they become
nearly if not quite as unintelligible as the
| coCkney would find the dialect of Nor
cumberland village.
Thus, if a Londoner is fortunate enough
to cross the Atlantic and be introduced to
a sky which has not been discolored by
smoke, II sun which has not been dimmed
by fog and an atmosphere which the pow
ers have not forgotten to dry and is as
stimulating as champagne, but is unfor-
tunate enough to have to buy frock coat
IA most expensive article-Or to order
| Ono-as Il rule, quite II different matter
he must call it "a Prince Albert
Prince Albert coat it is in republican
! America, whatever it may be in monar-
chical England, where Albert the Good"
is occasionally remembered when the an
niversary of his death comes round
If he wants billycock hat, he will
never get it if he asks for it by that name
He must request the shopman to bring
him derby.
Should the coverings of his feet be worn
out and he orders a new pair of boots, he
will be given Wellingtons, which are
boots in the American language. If he
wants English boots, he must ask for
"shoes, while if he likes to show pretty
socks and wears Oxford shoes he must cal
for tiles, " or low cuts, - and slippers
if he needs pumps.
He will find, too, that he does not buy ar.
ticles in a shop, but at store, " and he
will be sent to its different departments by
"floorwalker, not shopwalker.
If he would travel in the city, and he
desires to use the most derided of New
York public convcyances, which luckily
for those whose time is valuable ply only
up and down aristocratic Fifth avenue,
he must forget that such an abomination
as an omnibus ever existed and hail
stage" while if he wishes to 90 by or
talk about what he would at home call Il
|
car" or ''street car" for trans have no
existence in the American vocabulary. i,
further ne would, when in Rome, do what
Rome does, let him forswear the use of
railway until he returns home and train
himself to say railroad" and let him
never forget that he walks on the 'side-
walk" not on the pavement.
Should he unfortunately happen to get
/ IL. i
SICK" entirely needless Of what he would
be understood to mean home, or it will be
taken that he is nauseated, for the words
sick and i'll mean just the reverse of what
they signify in London, and if his doctor
| gives him prescription let him not ask
to be directed to a chemist, or he will be
sent off to Il manufacturer of chemicals, II
any one knows the address of such firm,
but let him seek for pharmacy" or
drug store "
Instead of Diapers shop he will find a
dry goods store, and if he desires to go
to one Of the upper floors he will take the
elevator" though, as is so frequently the
case, the reverse is the truth, for he will
certainly not discover IL lift, while, if his
wife has requested him to buy her some
hairpins, hooks and eyes, cottons or other
small articles, he will find them at the
motion counter"
AS, being stranger, he will not have
his own carriage, he will, If he wants a
drive, ride" in wagon, " which is not
a cart for carrying packages, but a very
comfortable light, open vehicle, or else in
buggy" an equally light conveyance
with hood, but open at the sides. If he
prefers a single horse brougham, he will
do we'll to call it n coupe, " and if he asks
for carriage" he will get Victoria with
| pair of horses.
In the evening he will naturally go to
the theater, but he must be careful to ask
for orchestra seats if he wants stalls,
| while if his tastes are not for drama prop
err and he prefers music hall entertain
ment, he should invite his friend to go to
variety show"
If play is advertised as farce com
edy," and he imagines he will see farci
cal comedy, he will be doomed to disap-
pointment, for farce comedy is only an
alleged play in which the characters are
taken by variety show artists" who in
troduce their "specialties and
dance-in season and out of season. In
other words, it is cousin german to a mu-
sic hall entertainment without the diver
sity in the programme.
In its pronunciation United States is a