The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-05
.oUR COMMON SPEECH"


should find q par'allelism In the fnsta-
bility Of the meanings attaching to the
words employed in our daily tongue
seems reasonable enough when one
pauses to think of It. But the average
man rarely does pause for thinking
purposes unless specially arrested. A
book which will perform this desirable
function for all real students of the
English language has recently ap-
peared from the press of Dodd. Mead
& Co., New York. under the title "Our
Common Speech" Its author, Gilbert
n. Tucker of Albany. has not aimed ut
. display of erudition. but has sought
aimply to call attention, in u series OF
readily understandable papers. to some
facts with reference to our language
which are frequently overlooked. With
out further preface we shall hastily
review the chapter In his opportune
book which treats of Degraded
Words" and shows how. in degrading
them. we boldly exhibit Fundamental
traits In our nature.
As a first instance. Mr.. Tucker cites
the adjective "pitifM.' which at pres
emit we almost invariably employ In an
evil sense. When We say q pitiful
subterfuge" we mean. of course. con-
temptELe attempt at fraud. Yet the
dictionaries with one accord give the
good meanings preceGencs-either
''melancholy. moving compassion. de-
serving to be pitied" or else full OF
pity, tender" In our authors opinion
II needs no conjecture to discover the
reason and method of this gradual
drifting in meaning from good to bad.
'sWhoever" he says. has heard a pitt
ful' story of his woes from a wandering
solicitor OF charity, and, moved with
compassion, has looked inso the case
only TO find an impudent attempt at
deceit has the explanation before him
In characters which he may run that
readefh. The 'pitifur story becomes
provocative OF scorn and indignation;
and the isnominy of the transaction
attaches Itself to the word that de-
scribed its first appearance, dragging
down with it the innocent adjective,
and fitting 1t for companfonship with
actions and conditions dtametrically
opposite to these with which it original
ly found place.
-Four other words noted as similarly
undergoing degradation are "appar-
ent." 'ostenstble." plausible and
'specious." The original meaning of
apparent" Is seeming" but things
which seem to be right SO often prove to
be otherwise that welhave come to view
any apparent thing with a certain
measure of implied suspicion. This
partial fouling of the adjective's mean
Ing is of recent origin. AS hate as 1894
Bailey defined the word without giving
any hint of dubious or suspicious i'm
port. "Ostensibie" originally meant
capable of being shown now We re-
gard Ut as conveying the idea of sham
or pretence. Plausible meant 1.-The
possession of qualities deserving of ap-
plause;" now 1t means something In
need Of confirmation or proof. "Spe-
cious'' meant having a good shape,
beautiful, handsome. fine" now it con-
veys the suggestion of insfncerlty.
Another word, "hypocrite," meant
originally am actor. whether good or
bad; apparently "acting," Off the stage
Is more often for evil purposes than for
good-at all events, "hypocrite" Is now
a full-fledged word of contempt. The
word "counterfeit' did not at first i'm
ply any wish to defraud; to 'equivo-
cate" meant to call two things by the
same name, not necessarily In order 70
deceive; and 'tinsel'' in the beginning
was really woven of the precious met
ais. what a commentary it is upon
the proverbial deceitfulness Of appear
serves the arthor. that. these terms.
which really indicate that a thing
see ms to be all right. have come to con-
vcy so sharply the implication that 1t
Is all wrong.'
Even more vivid Is the degradation
IN the case Of the word pretend"
which. as late as 1775, and for centuries
previous, had meant simply to "clafm,"
whether rightly or not. Today fits first
and almost exclusive meaning Is Ito
claim falsely" evidently proving, as
Nc. Tucker remarks, THAT 1t has been
the common experience that people are
APT to claim more than their due"
Similarly with legend" that first
meant "a book in the church contain
ing the lessons that were TO be read in
divine service" Some of these 'les-
sons" must at one time have grown so
farcjfui as to cause the word to convey
. warning against too much credulity.
Another group Of words, by the
changes that have occurred in their
meanings, typify the human character
istic Of despising those below one In
worldly station. The word villain"
for instance, originally meant the serf
n,
or farm. The transition from this pri-
mary meaning to one that credits the
serf or hireling with churlish, selfish,
dishonest characteristics Is simply in
dicative OF the general contempt enter
tained by the fortunate upper half for
the unfortunate fellows who are be-
meath. The word "boor" meant, at
first. simply "plowman" or, as we
would say farmer" Because some
farmers are incivil, tine word "boor''
was loaded down with the sins Of these
few exceptions and driven as a scape-
grace out into the wilderness OF our
English speech. Among other words
that have been degraded through the
operation Of similar laws the author
cites "churl," who was primarily no
worse than a free tenant at will;
"kern," who was simply foot-soldier;
pagan" who was only villager;
"heathen," a dweller on the heath or
open country: "incivility." which meant
conduct not common to the city, as
that of awkward or embarrassed coun-
trymen; Savage" which referred
merely to the state of being free from
the trammels Of conventional society;
''outlandish," which meant simply for
eign. or outside Of the land; "uncouth,"
which meant no worse thing than
Unfamiliar; "vagabond," who was
sifhply. wanderer; "harlot.' which
meantsa stranger; "barbarian," which
In the 0yeek meant a man OF different
nationality, the speaker; Idiot"
which meant only private person, as
differentiated from ofice-holders;
acaitiff." which meant q slave. whether
GOOD. bad or medium; and "base,"
"mean" and lewd," which originally
carried no suggestion OF moral infe-
riority. but were used simply to dis
tinguish the mass Of people from the
gentry or Clergy.
OF late the word beast" has come to
have scornful. Significance, whereas
primarily It meant any living being
different from men. The term 'knave."
like the Gerulan "knabe," meant simply