Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-06-08
DONTS
For. Speaker. and
Writer
Ready Reminder Of Errors In
2 the Use Of Common Words,
p Arranged Alphabetically
3. WARMAN. A. II,

s. BY EDWARD B. WARMAN, A. y. <
(Author Of Practical Orthoepy. and Crit
ique," '"The Voice: How to Train 1t:
How to Care for 1t, ;. rEtc.)
Copyright, 1905, BY Joseph B. Bowles)
Authors Note.-It is one thing to record
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,
I shall be pleased to receive kindly cr1ti-
sism, II. perchance. 7, 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 a
sentence with" ...
Many years ago began to be watchful
of errors. I noted them in a little book;
the book grew as the years passed. !
now record them that may benefit others
as we'll as myself Many Of them are re-
corded for the first time. s.
Don't say ''banister" for "baluster."
Example: Gle leaned over the ban
ister," should be "He- leaned over the
baluster. Wore. :
Don't say barely escaped with their
lives" I
Example: Seventeen out of the 40
that wore inmates, barely escaped with
their lives" should be Seventeen out
Of the 40 that were inmates, barely
escaped" ~ -
Note: If they escaped (barely, or
nOt) they must have escaped with
their lives. I
Don't say beautifully" for "beau-
tiful." - r
Example: "sae looks beautifully"
should be 'She looks beautiful. e
- - *
Don't say beg" for "beg. leave"
Example: II beg to inform you,"
should be II beg leave to inform you"
Don't say begun" for began
Example: "They begun promptly"
should be '"They began promptly"
Don't say behave" for "be good"
Example: II shall expect you to be-
have" should be Il shall expect you
to be good.
Note: To ask or to command one to
behave is indefinite, as one may be-
have we'll or otherwise. A child prom
Uses teacher to behave during the
teachers absence. No matter how
bad the child has been, he can truth
fully say to his teacher: II behaved
all the time you were gone"
Don't say "better of the two"
Example: (Which apple is the bet
ter of the two?" should be (Which ap-
pie is the better?"
Note: The use of the word bet
ter implies comparison, therefore "of
the two" Is superfluous.
H.
Don't say "between" for among"
Example: "The fight was between
seven of them," should be '"The fight
was among seven of them
Note: Do not use the word between
when the number exceeds two.
" .
Don't say "bit" for amy"
Example: -"Will you not take bit
less?" should be "Will you not take
any less?"
: Note: heard q man in California
ask an expressman il he would not
take a bit less than the amount
charged. The man addressed unac-
customed to the Yankeeism, became
&~1 4r$s 1>3f IN hi
cents. "a
- = g..
Don't say. blamed it on" for
blamed" go -. e.
Example: He blamed it on the
conductor" should be ''He blamed
(accused) the conductor"
-
Don't say "blowed'' for blew"
Example "He bowed the bugle when
in the army" should be HE blew the
bugle when in the army" or HE was a
bugler when in the army" +..-~
Don't say "both alike" for alike. -
Example: ''They were both alike y
should be "They were alike"
- " .
Don't say both recalled" for re-
called" ~. T..
Example: "The two boys both re-
called having met" should be "rhe
two boys recalled, having met"
Don't say bound" for determined"
Example: "He was bound to inter-
fere," should be "He was determined
to interfere"
Ipn't say bravery" for courage. !"
Example: HE is brave man, .
should be "He is a courageous man. "
Note: Don't say SO unless you really
mean bravery. The words are not
synonymous. A man may be brave
by nature Gas bravery is inborn) but
courage comes by cultivation A
brave man is often a reckless man, 4
man is generally a eau
tious one. - -'= ~
4 = 3