The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-03
SOME WORDS WE USE.

! SOME even Married the SG[OLIU IllIlS-
SOME WORDS WE USE.
Miss Leichardt, principal of the McCor-
mick school, has for several years been
collecting illustrations of English 'as she
is spoke" and has become an acknowl-
edged authority on the subject of ''Ameri-
canism" and "Localism," having a year
or two ago out-ranked the professor OF
languages in the state university on this
particular subject. Here is a paper by
Miss Leichardt on the subject, with spe-
cial attention paid TO Kansas:
Most people use words as they have al
ways heard them used, without even con-
sidering whether their usage is local or
peculiar, and are disposed 10 be resentful
if any one else says it is. Ii is only when
they meet people from other localities that
they notice differences of usage, and then
they incline 10 be simply amused at what
they consider the mistakes of others.
Nowhere but in western Kansas is a
ravine called a draw"
L once heard a lady from Texas say
eve are folksy at home.'' meaning that
they were of some Importance ar home.
The same lady spoke of their town, as be-
ing "a schooly town. The town con-
tanned a large number of schools
In Chicago a candidate will win out
again" if he gets the Irish vote-be re-
elected.
"slick" ice, for slippery ice, first started
at Louisville, Ky.
In Colorado they rustic" in Texas rus
tie up and in Kansas try TO scare up
money.
A really new word is not a common oc-
currence in language. Unless a word is
the most unmitigated slang it is pretty
sure to be found in some dictionary, the
Century is especially favorable to Amer
icanisms. Special uses of already known
words are very interesting TO trace out.
Just where to draw the line in the matter
of slang is very troublesome. Some words
are so near the border line, and slang is
so ephemeral.
Did you ever think about the word
'tMugwump?" 1t is of Indian origin and
current only twenty years ago in limited
parts of New England; it was used hu-
morously to mean an important man. at
least in his own estimation. This word
happened to express an idea that came
forward in the presidential campaign of
1884 and its use sprang from local TO ma
tional.
Whoever has studied the dialect novel
has ample evidence that a person who
has really spoken and thought in the dia-
lect of a region can tell whether certain
usages are current there better than any
outsider. persons use of the word
pail places him north or east. while if
he is from the south or west he says
bucket
Michigan says Hurry up,' Ohio says
Hurry on" Indiana says Hurry back!"
and all mean the same thing.
"Hit the grit" is from North Carolina.
Hit the road is from our western states.
Hike IS Delaware. Hike OUT is Colo
RADIO. pike OUT Pennsylvania. Hyper"
is Vermont. "Skoot" or "Skoot out"
means get off in a hurry. and suggests
various slang expressions for the same
idea-skeedaddle, vamoose. Kansas being
metropolitan understands that they all
mean Get a move on you" The conju-
CATION of the verb could begin something
in this style:
go-We cut sticks.
Thou startest-You lay tracks.
He departs-They absquatulate.
Newcomers have always been struck
with the difference between our English
and the language they had learned from
grammars and other books. Our language
is full OF Americanism.
"Go-deviT' looks terrible. bat It is only
an improvised sled. having two saplings
for runners. used for collecting hay in
the field. Il first started in Ohio. but the
instrument coming into general use the
word has also.
When plain woven cloth IS caught on
some sharp point, a right angled ren, fol-
lowing tho weaving Is often made. There
is no good English word for ,n.s pretty
definite idea. There is a good Dutch word.
which in the form % .wtnklenawk'' has
been current for generations about New
York From New England ''ir2ppatch'
and .'barad3or'- express the same idea
These words may now seem strange %
you. but you may be using them yourself
before you pack your turkey Cam5er-
mans bundiel and fit" from Peansyl-
van'a. OF tote" your -'piUndsr' from V!r-
giaiA
Look a; the different words fa- an cat
side open structure o. the side % a hoEze-
Gallery. porch. veraHda. piazza, losga
and stoop
wha, does TIE very expressive w5rd
.'tacly" mean
Look out means PIT your head O.,
ot the window.
Look QUIZ means pan i. II again
I VII send the message ~ Telegraph,
tells fact: but y wiH send ehs message;
by telegraph & more graphic
lie: ne ask you q Few question: E5w
VIII you answer these?
Al What time % day do yog begin 20 say
good evening u yog say god r-sa--
a. parting or o. meeting
Do you uss the word "conz-P-l7a~ SER
8usly o. spor-tyeiy? n yoU say paps.
papa. pap OF pae~ Do yol say ''frysrs
pan. fry pan. skillet O. SPIDER
What sounds Do you Gss a. norses -
cal them when aszF. when distant, -