The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-11-26
ENGLISH
AS 1T is
WRITTEN
ExciteS the Mind of a Journal
Correspondent
raglan" Scores Common
Methods of Expression.

EDITOR JoURNAb:--ln reading our
newspapers from time TO time. notice
many errors in the composition OF
writer's which seem to me most un-
pardonabe. The new "coins," especially
are violations of all the rules OF pro-
priety. l do not object very strongly to
many Of the slang words and phrases in
general use, because they are usually
appropriate and expressive and not open
violations of the rules Of syntax But l
do ebiect to the introduction OF words
in serious writings that are improper
violation of classical English-and
altogether without authority for their
use. When the laity use these words IN
their writings, OF in common conyersa-
ton, we can overlook il; but when
Editors, Judges and Scholars begin to
make use of them, il is time to cry
halt" Journalists especially, should
be particular in such matters, for many
heads of families set their children to
study the editorials and correspondence
of newspapers in order to acquire
correct style OF writing and speaking.
The newspaper should be a family
educator.
Let us begin with the word expert" b"
| of which we see so much in the papers
lust now. The word "expert" is a
noun-it is the name Of something-and
cannot be used as a verb. There is not
photographer, so far as know, VINO
sanctions its use as a verb. And yet we
talk OF "experiing' the books OF the
county officers These booka can be in-
yestigated, examined and tested, but
they cannot be exported. A printing
press gets out Of repair, and the owner
calls In a skilled mechanic TO "expert'
it, And yet there is as much warrant
for the use of the term in this instance
as in the case OF the investigation of the
county records. A farmers binder gets
out of order, and does not run as it
should do, and the farmer forthwith
calls upon the man who sold him the
machine and tells him to send out one
Of his men "to expert it,"
What an absurdity. lie does not ask
to have it examined or repaired, but to
be "experted. And he has rs good a
rights to make use Of the terms as an
accountant, a Judge or an editor. We
might even go further and show the utter
absurdity Of the expression by calling in
by way Of illustration the medical pro
iession: A doctor considers himself an
expert in cases Of sickness. A child in 6
family becomes III. The father call'
upon the doctor and asks him to come
and 'expert" the case OF the child
The doctor goes aud examines the case
diagnoses t-but he does not "expert.
He leaves that term for the use OF ac'
countanta The word expert" there
fore, when used as verb is periectl!
meaningless, uniustihable, and absurd
Take another word very much in com
mon use, use,-"suspicloned''-I suspicion
ed" him. The word suspicion" ie al
noun. Adding "ed" to il will not max
, il verb. In that case IL becomes N
word at all. 1t cannot be found In an
dictionary. You may entertain "sus
. picions," but you cadnot make the wor
do anything. You may 'suspect" ma
of crime. because suspect is a vert
while "suspicioned" is no part OF speec
whatever.
Take another; "He was dark con
plected man." Complexion Isl color, an
therefore noun, but completed"
nothing. There is no such word-neitht
can there be. II would be right to say
che WAS man Of dark complexion, "br
| wrong to say che was dark Completed
yet how many fairly will educated pc
j sons use this horrible word,
: But the most common error OF all, an
one that CRATES more harshly on my OF
, than any other is the frequent use of III
- words "But what" instead of that"
In is an ingrammaticism that has been col
le demned by every grammarian of an
standing in the English speaking worl'
You may search every classical authori,
10 either England or America, and yC
ne will not find "but what" in all the
is writings Neither Addison, Johnso
a. Macaulay, Gladstone, Rosebery, Richal
80 Grant White, Hawthorne, Irving, Pre-
"a cott or Lowell would defle their pap
ss with "but what" When writer
IS. engaged on a piece of composition al
ed he comes to place where he is inclin,
m to use "but what, let him hesitate ior
x. moment, and buy the sentence with 4
u, ''but" left out, and see how much mo
~ smoothly and nicely it will read. Or
ga may be- that he can use the "but' wit
ry out the that, aud will convey exact
ry all that he wishes TO convey. Bnt in
case use the words "but what, F" for in
doing he will violate the rules OF graz
mar and the canons of rhetoric.
thu At another time | may notice more
these common errors, but for the prese
10, let these suffice, RAdLAN,
Marion Co., Oregon.
hu What DO the Children Drlukf
M Don't give them tea or coffee. Ha
Il. N.slU \