The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-25
DESK STUDIES FOR GIRLS:
NEW WORDS.
I. NEW WORDS AND HOW TO USE
THEM

As rule it is unwise to use a for
eign word if an English word Will eX-
press the intended meaning. There are,
/ however, a few foreign words which
have come into common use and for
which there are no English equivalents.
! Our tendency in language as well as in
| business is toward Shortcuts. When
a foreign word will express what in
/ English would require an elaborate SEN
/ tence the foreign word is to be pre-
! ferred-that is, of course, if the listener
understands its meaning. Note the fol-
/ lowing:
Esprit de corps. Pronounced "es-pre-
de-core-" Esprit means spirit. This
! French phrase is commonly used by
EngIish-speaking people in the sense of
: common devotedness, sympathy or sup
port among the members of an associa-
] ton or of a military company or of any
/ body of men united for any purpose.
! Thus we may say, THE esprit de corps
of the London police is worthy of imi-
tation.'
Coup d'etat. Pronounced "coo-day-
tah," with the last syllable accented. A
bold or brilliant stroke of statesman
ship; an unexpected stroke of policy. A
daring move by which one political
party outwits or defeats another.
/ Finesse. Pronounced "fi-ness,' with
| the second syllable accented. This word
! in French means 'fineness," and is
commonly used by English-speahing
people to denote artfulness, craft or
adroitness; that quality of mind which
! leads to subtle actions. Note this illus
/ tration: Her use of finesse in the
most trivial affairs gave one the i'm
preston of being constantly duped or
| imposed upon"
Wade mecum. Pronounced "va-de-me-
! kum." A book or article which a per-
son carries with him as a constant COM
/ panion. 1t may be a Baedeker or per-
haps flask of brandy.
| Siesta. Pronounced see -es-ta." A nap
! or period of rest in the middle of the
I day. The hour of siesta is strictly OBJ
! served in the warm countries of south
ern Europe.
Bette noir. Pronounced "bate-nwor'
! The literal meaning is black beast"
| The expression is commonly used to de-
note a pet dislike, something which
makes us especially uncomfortable.
These are sufficient to illustrate the
point. Let us now look at a few Eng
/ lish words which we may find to our
advantage to add to our vocabulary
! There is no copyright on language.
Words are absolutely free. Custom sim
/ ply requires that we use them cor
! rectly:
Cynic Pronounced as spelled. This
word originally meant dog-like. Aetynic
! is a sneering fault-fnder. He Shows a
disposition to disbelieve or doubt the
sincerity of others. We say a man is
! cynical, or that he makes a cynical re-
mark, or has a cynical laugh, when we
refer to some relation or expression or
! intimation which questions the motives
or thoughts of others.
/ Optimist. Pronounced as spelled. An
optimist is one who believes in the ulti-
\ mate supremacy of good over evil. ) He
always hopes for and expects the hest.
! He has a large and broad outlook. His
/ hopeful disposition keeps him in THE
/ best of cheer.
Pessmist. Pronounced "pess-i-mist'
with the accent upon the first syllable.
This word means the opposite of Opt
mist A pessimist is one who exagger-
ates the evils of life, or who is disposed
/ to look only upon the dark side of
| things. He takes a melancholy or d de-
pressing view of life. A pessimist in
religion believes that this world is bad
and it's tendency is to grow worse
: rather than better.
I Cant. Affectation in language. If it is
/ evident to the educated or cultured or
| experienced man that particular
! writer or speaker does not really mean
what he says. does not act it out in his
own life: that he is simply making a
/ respectable show of words or of thought
/ for appearance sake; if this is clear, the
/ speech or article is properly called po-
/ litical or religious cant. The word sig
nifies a whining pretension Of goodness;
an insincere use of religious phrase
/ ology; an affectation of piety; sham
4 interest or enthusiasm; false pretenses
/ in society customs.
/ Finale. Pronounced fee-naugh-lee, -
with the accent upon the middle sylla-
bic. The concluding. section of a piece
I fnfr I-in fNf
work like an opera, especially if SO
managed as to produce an impressive
climax. The last piece on a programme;
the last part, piece or scene in any pub
lie performance or exhibition. The con-
Guiding act might properly be called
grand finale.
Travesty. A travesty is a caricature,
burlesque, a grotesque or deceitfuI
imitation. Our minstrel shows, for in
stance, find a drawing card in making
a trayesty of some current event or
popular drama. In literature a travesty
is hurlesque treatment of a noble sub
ject-the opposite of a parody-or ser
ious treatment of trivial subject We
say that a particular thing said or done
1 by another is a travesty upon a mans
character if the man is represented inn
properly or in burlesque.
Glamour. Pronounced ''glam-ur.' This
word means Illusion; an artificial inter-
est or association causing things to APP
pear differently from what they really
are. Thus we refer to some of the
| beautiful stories which we find record
ed in the life of Washington as the
glamour of history.
Sinecure. Pronounced ''sy-ne-kure
The literal meaning is without care
and therefore the name is applied to a
position having attached large pay and
requiring little work. Political Offices
are too often looked upon by their hold
ers as sinecures.
Correct speech is learned only by
careful study. We must watch our
selves constantly until good English be-
comes 4 habit. When reading it is wise
to read aloud as much as possible.
There is no better way of becoming ac-
customed to the sound and RHYTHM of
words. Their proper grammatical rela-
ton soon becomes as familiar to the ear
as correct spelling does to the eye. The
ear Immediately detects a false con-
struction or improperly used word Just
as the eye notes 4 wrong combination
of letters in the spelling. Note the fol-
lowing cautions:
The words each, every either and
neither are followed by singular verbs, |
as: Each of the boys was there
Either he or his brother was to be ap-
pointed" Il am not certain that either
of US was there" Il ct every one please
himself, not themselves. When sim
gular names connected by land" are
preceded by each. every or no the verb
must be singular. as: Each book and
slate was in position. Every man and