The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-08
The American Language.

An observing man in Indianapolis has
formulated a system by which he thinks
he can tell mans residence by his pro-
nunciation of a certain word. This word Is
table d'hote.' The philosopher in ques-
ton lives in large hotel. and in the ele-
vator is card stating that there will b.
table 'hote' dinner at a certain hour.
The people who come into the elevator nat
urally enquire of the attendant where this
meal is served and most of them do not
know Just how to pronounce the term. The
different recommendations. so far as ,abU-
lated are as follows:
Chicago tabblc day hntc
Louisville. tabul dote.
'DcS Moiue>. tay-bUl de hotCr.
'-0maha. table dough-
Indianapolis. table de hote
Grand Rapids. tabbei dottv
''>iopN City. tIbhul de hoo.
'Oklahoma. what d y callem. '
All this is of interest simply as throwing
light on a certain characteristic of Ameri-
can life. From one point OF view nothing
can be more absurd than that term
should come into common use when nine
out of ten of the people who use it do not
know how it ought TO be pronounced. OF
course. this must always be the case with
has been a term in common use in this
country for at least one generation-since
the time of "Casey's Table dote.' so feel
mgly described by Eugene Field.
So slight a thing as this is a straw
which indicates the general tendency of
American life In this country it is impos-
sible for any class of people to keep a
fashion, a term, or habit from the use of
the multitude. There is no law. written or
unwritten; no sentiment no custom which
can prevent the factory girl from being as
nearly like her employers daughter as she
can. She may initiate the dress of that
young lady, she may read the same books.
she may speak the same language if she
makes up her mind to do so. and she fire.
quently does. There are places where class
distinctions are recognized frankly by the
working people, but in most cases this is
due TO a large foreign admixture in the
population. The average American intends
to dine at table d'hote'' if he has the
money TO pay for it. whether he knows how
TO pronounce the name or not
There is a good and a bad aspect to this
sort of thing. The aping of foreign GUS
toms and the endeaSor to achieve a sham
gentility by the use of large sounding
terms are false and foolish When an archi-
tect builds lot of shoddy little houses made
to look like the cottages of the rich, and sac
rifices substantially to tawdry effect. he
does wrong. But when he builds a house
which is comfortable. honestly constructed,
and suited to the needs of the occupants.
he ought for the sake of his art to add all
the beautiful effects which he can devise
and his employers pay for. He may make
that cottage resemble the much finer resi-
dence of millionaire at Newport, and he
will be doing well, not because a million
aire per Sc is any better worth imitation
than any one else, but because the houses
of the rich may easily be worth imitation
for their own sake.
The American is quick to seize on any
phrase which he thinks indicates culture
superior to his own. AT one time this led
10 a considerable use of long and learned
words. Plain people said they desired
instead of wished" and they stopped talk
ing about spades and began to converse
about agricultural implements. But shis
sort of thing is disappearing. 1t will not
be long before plain, simple precise Eng