The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-15
MISSING WORDS.
Annoying Gaps in English Language
That Cause Inconvenience.
From London Answers.

From London Answers.
The English language may fairly
claim to be the most prolific in the
world. Not content with it's native
riches, it possesses in a special degree
the faculty of assimilating everything
useful from other tongues, ancient and
modern. 1t ought, indeed, to be the
most perfect vehicle of thought in the
world and in some respects, no doubt.
it is.
But curiously enough, there are de-
ficiencies in English not to be found
in far less copious languages. While in
many cases we have half a dozen
words expressing the same, or prac-
hcally the same thing, there are, on the
other hand, certain ideas that have no
appropriate words to express them
In the words denoting relationship
some notable gaps are found. The most
starring instance is the want of a
word to distinguish between male and
a female cousin. Other languages,
such as French and Italian, have a
separate word for each but in English
some addition or explanation is re-
quired in order to make it clear
which sex is intended.
Some obvious DEFICIENCIES English
shares with other languages. The word
"brother-in-law" is often applied in
correctly, for want of a better word,
to a more remote relation. Strictly
speaking, a brother-in-law is either a
wife's brother or a sisters husband
but the world is frequently extended
to denote the relationship existing be-
tween two men who marry sisters, or
between a man and his sisters broth
er-in-law. 1t would be convenient to
have one word to express such reIa-
tionships, as well as others that might
be named. Grandfathers, paternal and
maternal, respectively, might surely
be described by one word. And why
have recourse to French to designate
the person to whom one is engaged?
We have a fairly copious vocabu-
larry when we speak of animals, dis
tinguishing nicely the male, the fe-
male, the young, and even, in certain
cases, the aged. But one curious de-
ficiency appears. The domestic fowl
has no good square word to describe
it. Fowl is common to any bird; so
is "cock" or "hen," which, besides, only
applies to one sex. There is really no
word corresponding to turkey" or
goose" by which to designate the or
binary denizen of the farm yard. Gu
rious gaps occur here and there in our
language If we look into it. The word
show" expresses the idea of making
to see. but there is no word for maxi
ing to hear-a monograph, for exam
pie. II took the photograph to my
friend, and" What? Got him to
listen to it, would probably be the
inelegant finish to the sentence.
On the other hand. audience" means
those who hear, and applies very we'll
to those present in a lecture hall or
concert room. But what of those who
see a cricket match, for instance?
Spectators is the nearest word, but
it does not correspond exactly to Eau
dience." There is one deficiency in
the language so awkward and irritat-
ing that, even at this late hour, it
ought to be made good. Need it be
said that reference is made to indis-
criminate use of the personal pronoun
to denote either the person speaking or
the person spoken Of? This may not
be a defect peculiar to English, but it
is one from which the ancient classi-
cal tongues are entirely free.
He said he had offered him money.
which he had declined" would be quite
comprehensive either in Greek or Lat
in. but in English it necessitates a num-
Der of bracketed explanations, which
are positively annoying and destructive
OF grace and fiuency.