The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-06-01
DONT'S
For. Speaker and
Writer
Ready Reminder Of Errors In
the Use, Of Common words,
Arranged Alphabetically


Copyright. 1905. By Joseph B. Bowles)
Authors Note.-1t IL 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 Tor
the betterment Of the English language.
shall be pleased to receive kindly crlt1-
cism, 1t, perchance, l, 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 proposition to end
. sentence with"
Many years ago began to be watontul
of errors. noted them in a little book;
the. book grew. as the gears passed. l
profited much; shall profit more l now
record them that may benefit others as
well as myself. Many Of them are -
corded for the first time.
Don't say carpenter" for "jciner.
Note.-One may be a carpenter and .
Joiner, but . carpenter is not neces-
sarily q 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 a point equi-
distant from the circumference; the
middle q point equi-distant from the
two extremities.
Don't say certain" for "sure."
Example: CT am certain he will
come" should be II 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 clerk at
Marshall Field's."-.
Note.-The word clerk Is not verb.
Don't say CLOSE proximity" for
proximity"
Example,: 1.-THE close proximity OF
the sentinel caused him to halt"
should be ''The proximity Of the SEN
tinel caused him TO halt
Note.-As proximity means an i'm
mediate nearness. it is evident that
close is supcrHous.
Don't say collecting bills" for "col-
lecting."
Example: HE is collecting bills. -
should be HE is collecting"
Note.-The word bills is superfious.
Bills are presented that money may be
collected One would not have the
same difnculty 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 10
trying to collect"
Don't say comb my head" for comb
my hair"
Don't say comb out your hair" for
scomb your hair
Note.-The word out is SUPER
hous. One may comb out 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
bined as conspira.ors."
Don't say ''comc in" for "come."
Note.-The word in is superfous. II
given as q summons for one. to enter
and given by one who is within.
Don't say come" for came"
should be "She came for advice"
Don't say commence to-"
Note.-Commence should not be fol-
lowed by the infinitive.
ct is the practice of good writer's to
use the verbal noun (instead Of the
infinitive with TOT after commence, as.
"He commenced studying" not, "He
commenced to study.'-Webs. Int
Good writer's also use begin instead
of commence. We begin to read. We
commence reading.
Don't say Compare to" for" com.