Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-11-26
NUMBER 4s.
LINGO OF THE JAPS.
Result OF Acquiring u Language without
Grammar or Dictionary.

Grammar or Dictionary.
The atrocities wreaked upon the Eng
lish language by the well meaning Ba-
boo have long been familiar TO readers
of Anglo Indian literature. He shows a
surprising facility in the choice OF
words alive with import, 10 quote a
phrase Of Mr.. Steyensons. His only
fault is that the import is much too
lively. Indeed, for an utter contrast 10
Mr.. Stevenson's own skill in selecting
the one apt and significant word for tho
expression Of bis thon2ht one could not
do better than study the essayist quot
ed by Lady Dulferin, who graphically
recorded the difference in the lot OF
rich and poor by the lament that while
the rich man welters on crimson velvet,
the poor man snorts ON flint. "
But the student who has feeling for
style will find much 10 repay research
as be travels further east than Calcutta.
At Houglung and the Chinese ports
he will fnd himself in the region OF
"pidgin, q language which at first in
suits his manhood by its inevitable
suggestion Of baby talk but which he
soon learns 20 respect as more bril-
liantly successful instance Of interDa
ti0ual compromise than any treaty for
which diplomatist was ever knighted.
The moment he lands at Yokohama bc
may discard his painfully acquired
"pidgin. for he is among people who
would sc0rn 10 say "no can do for "it
is impossible" or my belOngey top
side" for Il live mp stairs " When they
speak English, they speak il uncontami-
mated by local accidence or syntax
The results Of this acquisition Of
foreign tongue by means Of the unsup-
plemented study Z grammar and die
tionary arc evident ON many a shop
sign. "Rando House" illustrates the
curious national inability 10 hear or
pronounce the sound Of Il As the
Chinese are equally unable 10 make any
thiny Of "r. no yolapuk will be worth
anything which does not omit both tho
letters from It's alphabet. Ramp shop
and Gents Radies' and Chirdren's
Shoes" are instances Of the same eccen-
tricity.
Occasionally ones attention is arrest
ed by a sheer error in spelling, which
looks a. though the painters copy had
been written in bad band by person
who had confided q superficial knowl-
edge Of English orthography TO the care
of treacherous memory.
IL may b. that the absence from Jap
anese Of any distinction between singu-
lar and plural is 10 blame for such de-
Walton from usage as "Ships and Houses
Painter. The Wines and Foods and
"Rifles and Powders. IL is only nat
ural that when Jap does come across
a language possessing the luxury Of
special sin Of plurality he should wish
to make the most Of his opportunities.
The expression of multiplicity seems
indeed usua y to cause disturbance III
the native mind. Thus we get shop
For the Kind Of Parasol, Umbrella and
Stick. " wine, Ale and Other and
Manufacturer and Dealer Of Furniture
and Others over a store 10y the side
Of the canal az Yokohama may be read
an inscription which is pathetic proof
Of the coInplexity Of our proposition.
The owner having set up the announce
ment. Dealer of Coal and Coke, was
evidently troubled by the suspicion that
his sign might not be- quite idiomatici
so, in order to be quite sure of hitting
the correct thing one way or the other,
he wrote for as second choice be-
low the word "of
The advertisements sent % the visit
or at his hotel are prolific in surprises.
A firm of photographers assures him
that they "kindle the hope that you
will visit our exhibition. " II he is un-
fortunate enough to fall III during his
stay. ho viii ind great relief by using
as substitute Tor the poultice the in
genious native "kairo," an invention
which delights English doctors when
they make its acquaintance. IL Is
small, comfortably padded box contain
ing special preparation Of charcoal,
and when fastened to the chest keeps
the heat much longer than any other
contrivance known III medicine. But
even the aairo' itself will ha-dly TGim
the cookies Of the patients heart as ei
fectively as the inscription on the out
side wrapper, declaring as II does that
this is so good and convenience as to
get out all diseases result by cold. -
London Christian World.