Smyrna times., 1901-08-21
WORDS WE SWALLOW
ON THE TIP OF THE TONGUE, YET WE
CAM GET THEM OUT.

N@'NA bONg hAiOho W nul II 10 W nave
word OH 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 i'll everyday use. But it will not
be spoken when wanted. What is the
secret of this word forgetfulness?"
Doctors call it aphasia. They cannot
explain it, but say it is a 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 very ingenious way of
making the best of things.
They manufactured a number of
words and sentences that meant abso-
lutely nothing, mere sound without
! sense. When Chinaman in the course
OF conversation comes to a 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-
! tion.
! 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
plentifully besprinkle our own after
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 lie
most desires to utter Spies have been
captured aud 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-
citement 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 forgctfulnpss."
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 or
two in their parts that no effort of their
own can give back to them at the mo-
ment. But the wings reached and the
strain removed they are again imme-
dlatcly word perfect and at a loss to
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 one
night found herself on the stage as in
nocent Of any knowledge of her part as
amy member of the audience. She made
desperate efforts to find herself" but
1t was no good. That performance she
had to read the part through from be-
ginning to end.
Names of people are the words that
clip our memories most frequently. We
see face we know. and yet we cannot
2 1T name to 1t. We are shaken by the
hand or slapped on the back, and all
the while we are hard at work trying
TO think of the name of the person who
Is doing 1t. Kings are credited with
royal memories. and it is rare to find a
sovereign who has not wonderful
memory for faces. But he usually has
some one at his elbow who can jog his
D memory for names.
d IT is not always safe to fish for a
name wanted. When Ellen Terry and
D Henry Irving were in America one
year. they met gentleman who, they
knew. had reason to expect that they
G could remember his name. But this
they failed to do. So Miss Terry ap.
!. preached him and said: "Sir Henry and
: ! cannot agree as to the exact spelling
/ of your name. VIII you please put us
right% Certainly" was the reply. ''It
s is 10 n-e-sw
Aphasia is divided by those who have
studied the subject into word blind
ness" and word deafness" A man
e who is "word blind" may be able tC
i pronounce the name of letters. but can
IS not understand the meanings of the
u words they form. A man who Is ''word
II deaf" can understand ordinary sounds
s and music, but cannot understand spo
q ken words. His speech is often mere
o senseless jargon.
u But the passing forgetfulness of 6
u word has little to do with these mor'
II serious forms of the complaint. W.
lp x,-ordS .,pdar 4bo fpauapoo n