Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-09-18
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 Aphasia In the
Medical Profession-A Trick the
Chinaman Uses For the Emergency.
Everybody knows what it is to have
q word OH the tip of the tongue and yet
not be able to speak 1t. The word is
known perfectly well, and yet we can-
not for the life of us give 1t utterance
More often than not 1t is u common
word In everyday use. But 1t will not
be spoken when wanted. What is the
secret of this "word forgetfulness?"
G Doctors call 1t aphasia. They cannot
explain It, but say 1t is little hitch in
the working of the brain or intellect.
The Chinese, who have done so many
quails s.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 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 conyersa-
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
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 arc 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 us well as their own
names escapes them. They struggle to
recall it, but the very effort makes it
more difficult. aud they pay with their
lives.
a man may sometimes be tortured
and yet be unable to speak the word lie
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-
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 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.
It Is still OH the tip of the tongue, even
hitter one has given up the struggle to
recollectit.
Actors sometimes forget 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-
diately word perfect and at a loss to
explain their forgetfulness. A whole
part is sometimes forgotten. This usu-
ally happens after n very long run.
During the run of 1.-THE Second Mrs.
Tanqueray" Mrs. Patrick Campbell one
night found herself on the stage as in
nocent of any knowledge of her part as
any 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
slip our memories most frequently. We
see face we know, and yet we cannot
ut q name to it. 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 it. Kings are credited with
royal memories. and 1t 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
memory for names.
1t is not always safe to fish for
name wanted. When Ellen Terry and
Henry Irving were in America one
year, they met gentleman who. they
knew, had reason to expect that they
could remember his name. But this
they failed to do. So Miss Terry ap-
nr0ached him and said: "Sir Henry and