Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-08-02
WORDS WE SWALLOW
On THE TIP OF THE TONGUE, YET WE
CAN'T GET THEM OUT.
This Hitch In the Working Of the
; Brain Is Called Aphnsia In the
Medical Profession "A Trick the
! Chinamnn Uses For the Emerrcncy,

THIS HITCH IN tne WORKING OF the
Brain Is Called Aphnsia In the
Medical Profession "A Trick the
Chinamnn Uses For the Emergency.
Everybody knows what 1t Is to have
a word on the tip of the tongue and yet
not be able to speak it. The word is
known perfectly well, and yet we can
not for the life of us give it utterance.
More often than not it is a common
word in everyday use. But it will not
be spoken when wanted. What is the
secret of this "word forgetfulness
Doctors call it aphasa. They cannot
explain it, but say it is little hitch in
the working of the brain or intellect
The Chinese, who have done so many
quaint and clever things, recognized
the difficulty thousands of years ago
and invented a very ingenious way of
making the best of things.
They manufactured n number of
words and sentences that meant abso-
lutely nothing, mere sound without
sense. When n Chinaman in the course
of conversation comes to word that
he has on the tip of his tongue, but can
not speak, he just makes use of the
meaningless phrases invented for that
purpose until he recalls the word he
wants and goes on with the conversa-
ton.
The trick, for trick it is, is much in
use in public speaking and certainly is
an Improvement on the "er-er-ers,"
coughings and throat clearings that so
! -
! dinner orations. The speaker preserves
his dignity and gives himself time for
+ thought.
Very often the greater the desire to
speak the missing word the greater the
difficulty or sheer impossibility. The
man in the Arabian story could not re-
member the words "Open sesame" al
though he was in danger of his life.
There are many cases on record of sol
diers. even officers, forgetting the pass
word and being shot down by their
own sentries. At the critical moment
the all important word that they
thought they knew as well as their own
names escapes them. They struggle to
recall it, but the very effort makes it
more difficult, and they pay with their
lives.
\ man may sometimes be tortured
and yet be unable to speak the word he
most desires to utter. Spies have been
captured and have gone to their death
in silence not because they have not
been eager to betray their comrades,
but because under the stress and ex-
element of the situation they have to-
tally forgotten the information they
would convey. A celebrated case of this
kind was made the subject of a play
produced in London some years ago,
called "a Question of Memory"
No doubt every reader will be able to
recall instances in which he has suf-
fered from this "word forgetfulness.
One can often remember the initial let
ter Of the word, but not the word itself
1t is still on the tip of the tongue. even
after one has given up the struggle to
recollect it.
Actors sometimes forget a word OF
two in their parts that no effort of theil
own can give back to them at the mo
ment. But the wings reached and the
strain removed they are again imme
diatey word perfect and at a loss tC
explain their forgetfulness. A whole
part is sometimes forgotten. This usu
ally happens after a very long run
During the run of THE Second Mrs
Tanqueray" Mrs. Patrick Campbell on,
night found herself on the stage as in
nocent of any knowledge Of her part a!
, any member of the audience. She mad,
, desperate efforts to find herself" bu
/ 1t was no good. That performance sh,
had to read the part through from be
ginning to end.
Names Of people are the words tina
: slip our memories most frequently. w
> see a face we know, and yet we canno
: fit name to it. We are shaken by tn
! hand or slapped on the back. and al
= the while we are hard at work tryin
, to think Of the name of the person VIII
! Is doing 1t. Kings are credited wit
( royal memories, and it is rare to find
sovereign who has not a wonderfu
memory for faces. But he usually ha
some one at his elbow who can jog hi
t memory for names.
1t Is not always safe to fish for
8 name wanted. When Ellen Terry an
e Henry Irving were in America on
f year. they met a gentleman who, the
e knew. had reason to expect that the
e could remember his name. But thi
e they failed to do. So Miss Terry al
g preached him and said: "Sir Henry an
5, ! cannot agree as TO the exact spellin
t. OF your name. VIII you please put I
!, right% Certainly" was the reply. 90
e is J-o-n-e-s!'
J. Aphasia is divided by those who hay
studied the subject into word blin'
ness" and word deafness" A ma
who is "word blind" may be able
lie pronounce the name of letters. but ca
re not understand the meanings Of Il
d, words they form. A man who is "woI
a. deaf" can understand ordinary sounC
IS and music, but cannot understand sp
DR. ken words. His speech is often me
IN Spnca1pcc IN room