The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-07-20

errors, quite another to avoid them. He
who waits for the faultless one to cast
the first critical stone waits In vain:
therefore. as one Of many working for
the betterment of the English language.
shall be pleased to receive kindly criti-
cism, II. perchance. /. too. have erred.
Ones theory often is better than ones
practice. This was exemplified by the
teacher of language when he said to his
class: Never use q proposition to end
sentence with"
Many years ago I began to be watchful
of errors. noted them in a little book;
the book grew as the years passed.
protited much: shall profit more. now
record them that l may benefit others as
well as myself. Many of them are re-
corded for the first time.
Don't say social" for "sociable."
Example: II am going to the social"
should be Il am going to the sociable."
Note.-Social, is not a noun. Sociable,
IL both q noun and an adjective.
Don't say some" for about"
Example: ut is some four blocks
away" should be 1T is about four blocks
away"
Don't say some" for somewhat"
Example: HE is some better, should
be HE is somewhat BETTER"
Don't say somebody else's" for
somebody's else"
Example: THAT is somebody else's
book" should be THAT is somebody's
else book"
Note.-This is merely preference.
There is good authority for somebody
else's," but it would be somebody else's
authority, not mine. l like Mr.. Ayres'
defense of the latter ut is better gram
mar and more euphonious to consider
else as being an adjective, and to form
the possessive by adding the apostrophe
and to the word that else qualities"
The Verbalist.
.
Don't say some such q" for some
SUCH"
Example: II think it was some such
q boy" should be Il think it was some
such boy"
Note.-Same with no such, any such.
etc.
Don't say Standing on my feet
Example: 1--WE been standing on my
feet all day." should be 1--WE been stand
ing all day." or 1--WE been on my feet
all day."
y
Don't say stopping" for Staying"
Example: II am stopping on the
farm" should be II am staying on the
farm"
Note.-The staying begins when one
stops. One is not supposed to always
stop where he stays.
Don't say strongest" for stronger"
Example: Charlie and Willie are
wrestlers, but Charlie is the strongest, %
should be Charlie and Willie are
wrestlers, but Charlie is the stronger"
Note.-Don't say stronger Of the
two" as the comparative admits of only
two.
Don't say "such" for go"
Example: II never have seen such a
large man." II never have seen such q
handsome woman" II never have seen
such narrow streets" should be Il never
have seen so large man, ""I never have
seen so handsome woman" Il never
have seen SO narrow Streets
Note.-To satisfy ones self as to the
correctness of the foregoing, 1t is but
necessary to transpose any or all of the
sentences; as, II never have seen man
such large" etc.
Don't say Summons" for summon"
Example: II will summons him."
should be II will summon him."
y
Don't say "summonsed" for gum
moned."
Example: "He was summonsed to ap-
pear" should be "Hc was summoned to
appear"
Don't say sweep out" for Sweep"
Example: "Sweep out the room,"
should be Sweep the room Tor fioor)."
Note.-One may sweep out the dirt
or sweep the dirt out of the room; but
the room is not swept out.
Don't say "swore" for Sworn"
Example: II have swore to do It,"
should be II have sworn to do it,"
=
Don't "take" for "have."
Example: "Will you take dinner at
Delmonico's?" should be "Will you have
dinner at Delmonico's?"
Don't say Temperance" for ".b.
stinence."
Note.-One may be temperate, yet not
an abstainer. The former is opposed to
the abuse; the latter, to the use.
.
Don't say "tend" for attend"
Example. "I'll tend to It," should be
"I'u attend to it."
e
Don't say "the first and second"
Example: "Sing the first and second
stanza," should be "Sing the first and
the second stanza."
Note-If the plural form is used, the
article 1.-THE" following the conjunction
should be omitted.
Example: "Sing the first and the Sec
ond stanzas," should be "Sing the first
md second stan.as."