New-York tribune., 1906-02-26

course, infinitely greater than In the established
speech. They are the seeds from the bursting
poos OF language, that. scattering here and
there live In most cases only long enough to
decay Only the hardest the f1ttest, take root
and grow. Swift saw ruin for the English
tongue in the use In his day of such abbrevia-
tions as phiz for physiognomy, hyp for hypo-
chondriec. mob for mobile vulgus, poz for posi-
tive rep for reputation. incog for incognito.
penipo for plenipotentiary, among many others.
OF these only mob has worked it's way into
definite recognition. Rep only survives in demi-
rep and hip in hipped. Other neologisms con-
demned by Swift have been accorded hearty
welcome. 1t is difficult to realize that he
Viewed with alarm" the Introduction of such
words as battalion, ambassador, operation, COM
munication and preliminary. Professor Bowen
holds, accordingly, that IT is "the height of folly
for any one no matter how highly esteemed as
an author. to attempt the role of reformer OF
the speech" He will have only his labor for his
pains. These violations of established usage
he claims actually furnish evidence of the vital
ity of the speech. He says:
Professor Brander Matthews. in an admirable
classes, and We can hardly do better than to fol-
low his general classification. The first class en-
braces those vulgar cant expressions which are
the survivals of thieves Latin or st. Giles Greek
the vernacular of the lower orders of society
This is the kind or slang heard IN the ponce
courts, the kind the newspaper reporter too fire.
quently resorts to, in order to give spice TO his
account. 1t has been introduced into literature by
some OF recent novests, notably Dickens
The second class of slang Is not quite so coarse
and includes those ephemeral phrases and catch
words which have feeting popularity and which
because they meet real need. soon forgot
ten utterly: They live but day and pass away,
leaving behind trace of their existence: or
this class campaign slogans and such inane
Chestnut Rot" 'T should smile" and many
slang that have brought the term into disrepute
and merited contempt. For this sort of slang is
very offensive TO delicate and justly deserves
the speedy oblivion which overtakes 1t.
The other two classes of slang, on the con-
trsry, of a finer type and have reason for their
being, something to commend them to popular ia
vor. 1t may we'll be that from this type new
idioms and phrases recruited into our literary
language. However, a certain stigma attaches TO
this better variety of slang. also, in the Judgment
of many, stmply because II is slang. Yet 1t is
heard the lips of educated and cultured speak
ers, much to the disgust Of those who are fastdi-
GUS as to the propriety Of usage. When 1t is EN-.
plOyed in the written speech, the more careful
writer's brand IT with inverted commas, the bar
barian earmarks which attest its social inferior
ity Occasionally bold writer like Mr.. Howells
breaks down these barriers which convention has
set up and gives a polite slang expression the
stamp OF his approval and authority. In this way
these social outcasts the pariahs OF our literary
speech, and then elevated to the dignity
and rank of good society. and finally establish
themselves in standard English.