Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-06-15
DONT'S
For Speaker and
@. Writer
Ready Reminder Of Errors In
the Use Of Common Words,
Arranged Alphabetically

errors, quite another TO aVOlO tNeM' nc
who waits for the faultless one to cast
the first critical stone waits IN Vah'
therefore, as one of many working Tor
the betterment of the English language,
I shall be pleased to receive kindly crlt1-
cism if, perchance, I, too, have erred.
Ones theory often is better than ones
practice. This was exemplified by the
teacher Of language when he said 10 MS
class: Never use proposition to eno
4 sentence with"
Many years ago began to be watchful
of errors. l noted them in little book;
the book grew as the years passed
profited much; shall profit more. J. now
record them that I may benefit others as
We'll as myself Many of them are re-
corded for the first time.
Don't say carpenter" for Joiner"
Note.-One may be a carpenter and a
joiner, but carpenter is not neces-
sarily a joiner. The joiner begins
where the carpenter ceases.
Don't say Casualty" for casualty"
Note.-There is no word casualty.
Don't say center" for middle"
Note.-The center is point equi-
distant from the circumference; the
middle point equi-distant from the
two extremities.
Don't say certain" for "sure."
Example,: Il am certain he will
come" should be 81 am sure he will
come"
Note-We are certain in regard to
the past; sure in regard to the future.
Don't say "chuck-full" for "chock-
full"
Note.-There is no word chuck-full.
Don't say "claim" for assert"
Example,: HE claimed his rights"
should be "He asserted his rights"
Don't say clerks"
Example: "She clerks at Marshall
Fields" should be "She is a clerk at
Marshall Fields"
Note.-The word clerk is not a verb.
Don't say "close proximity" for
proximity"
Example: "The close proximity Of
the sentinel caused him to halt"
should be ''The proximity of the SEN
tinel caused him 10 halt"
Note.-As proximity means an i'm
mediate nearness it is evident that
close is superf1ous.
Don't say "collecting bills" for 'col-
Letting"
Example: "He is collecting bills"
should be "He is collecting"
Note.-The word bills is superflous
Bills are presented that money may be
collected. One would not have the
same difficulty in collecting bills as he
would have in collecting money; there
fore it were better to say, HE is COL,
lecting," or more truly, perhaps, HE is
trying to collect"
Don't say comb my head" for comb
my hair"
Don't say comb out your hair" for
"comb your hair"
No!e.-The word out is SUPER
flous. One may comb out a tangle, or
comb the hair until the tangle is out;
but it is not necessary to comb the hair
out.
Don't say combined together for
"combined."
Example,: "They combined together
as conspirators," should be 'they COM
biped as, conspirators."
Don't say s'comc i'm for come"
Note.-The word in is superflous, il
given IS summons for one to enter
and given by one who is within.
Don't say "come" for came"
Example: "She come for advice"
should be "She came for advice"
Don't say commence to-"
Note-Commence should not be fol-
lowed by the infinitive.
1T is the practice of good writer's to
use the verbal noun (instead of the
infinitive with 'toD after commence, as,
HE commenced studying" not, "He
commenced to udy."-Webs. Int.
Good writer's also use begin instead
of commence. We begin to read. We
commence reading.
Don't say Compare to" for" con-.
pare with"
Examples: Compare Lincoln to.
Grant," should be Compare Lincoln
with Grant ..
No:e.-To compare to is to note the
resen, blance; to compare with is to
note the relative excellence.
Example of resem blance: The many
wires of the Western Union Telegraph
company may be compared to the nerves
of tie human body.
Don't say consequence for i'm
portance."
Example: 1T is of no consequence"
should be ut is Of no importance"
Don't say consider" for regard"