Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-11-08

.ninAs ana hit ~ WILL q q the BODY
- 1yolution of modern 1nSljsh hom
~ ~; ana practice q Chances u ths
Sizneol shaksspr - and hi Ills bsthan
ealaxy, ma thence down q The psriod
~ Tsnnyson md BroM ning. Longfellow
md L.olMtsll can IS studied = infinitely =
the Victim 1 the yivisectionist' q knife
The chanessin The language N IL %
nrstionsol words, even in some usagss
az construction. within . generation are,
quite noticeable It 10 sign Of the
magnificent vitality d our great tongue.
5aliks In III written ard spoken phases.
that II responds . quickly % each In
tellectual and social need. Perhaps Ito
very lack u : great and finally author
itatiye dictionary like that Of Lattrss 50
French. made under the, sanction of tho
academy, which. IL % tyrannical IL IL
claima. 10 NOT without advantage.
Professor Brander Matthew'S Of Co
lumbis college,. who has written with
spirit and yivscity d kindred topics,
has something to ~ onlthe future q
English in the current issue Of Nun.
sey's Magazine \ This critic is aggres.
siYely,, even ferociously. American IL
his claims for this country assbeing the
fated arbiter Of the coming language.
He saya: sa MI \. ISL.
The English Of the future win DO the Eng
Itch <1,mk Co. thSAT
States, and it Is for M TO hand " down to our
children fitted for the service II - to render.
This task ID ourx. not to be undertaken
boastfully or vGngloriously or in any spirit Of
provincial self assertion ON the one hand or OF
colonial self depreciation ON the other, but
with full sense Of the burden imposed upon
us and Of the privilege that accompanies II. It
10 orr duty to do hat we can to keep our
English speech fresh and vigorous, 10 help it
draw new life and power from every proper
source, TO resist all the attempts Of Pedants to
tcramp 1t and restrain It's healthy growth and
to urge alopg the simplidcatioA Of its grammar
and its photography, so that it shall be ready
against the day when it ID really world Ian
'gunge.. - .-a.z
No doubt this responsibility rests il
considerable degree where Professor
Matthews puts it. But does he. conoede
no share in it to our English cousins. to
the influences which stir ct ,Ee Wy
fountain head Of English speech? I.as
is little selfish in the puLditof Cos
slumbiH. America has certainly greatly
affected England in its habits, usaSes
and modes Of speech. and England las
returned the pleasant compliment Wig
orously. II the one country has Leen
Americanixed, the other has been Aneli.
. zed in many familiar usa2es OF life
and speech. That this country ADDS
fresh verbal wealth TO English more
rapidly than does the more conservative
people is.true But the process ia really
reciprocal It is sure to become more
and more 60 in the future, for more in
innate acquaintance and the sense Of 3
common heritage are making constant
strides. Englishmen are more particular
in using and pronouncing words than
we in America, If we are more prolific
and creative. Both functions are need
ed BY healthy growth. Let the spirit Of
cooperation extend to literature and
language as we'll as to public affairs.
The proper way, to phrase Professor
Matthews prophecy is not that the new
English will grow out of its American
notifications, but that it will grow
simultaneously by them and by British
changes and by Australian variations
The United States will only play its
big part, though that will be q great one
indeed. sss s5s.
7 Az, axnna;nn itox,o Il, Tho Straits