New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-29
LITERARY CRITICISM
AND BOOK NEWS
The Latest Dictionary of the Anglo-Americar
Tongue-Europe's Venerable Miniature
REPUBLICS Max and His Acid Pencil

casionally they are interesting in them
selves. The picture Of buXom. cheer
full and capable looking Police Ma'roh'
for instance.
The New Standard is more than
dictionary Of words. II is also dic-
tionarv Of names, TO some extent an
encyclopedia, though in this regard II
does not go very far or very deep
is. further a gazetteer of the world
and an historical reference book. Thus
Enrico Caruso comes to be one of the
100000 terms defined Heph9stus is
second. Demeter a third. But why are
the gods and demigods or Morse
mythology obscurely grouped together
in this day of Wagher's continued SUI
premacy? And why is the Du'Sh
rainter Of most interest to the present
cencration-Jan Nermeer-ignored al
together? OF course. NJ. Jourdain, VINO
spoke prose without knowing it, is emil
nently fit to make still another one OF
these $4,000 terms.
Turn we 10 the dictionary proper,
however. and consult its definitions OF
the technicalities of our profession.
What is bogus" in the newspaper
sense of the word? What is a newspa-
nor "morgIe"? No information is
forthcoming. "Flimsy" we find, hut
what is that product Of the allied mag
azine world. an associate editor lie
associate edits we know, but how
does he do it? The New Standard
ignores him altogether.
Dictionaries of the English language
of any languaGe-are fascinating
reading. ords open up paths that, II
followed, lead Us into fields rich in as
ISOLATION of ideas and in surprises.
Slangology, f-r instance. We welcome
the inclusion here Of the "hasbeen,'
but regret the exclusion of the words
even more picturesque Chicago equiva-
lent. the "haswasser." The "highbrow"
reaches in these pages the becoming
dignity Of dictionary standing. But is
a coon song" so called because it was
originally sung on coon hunting expe-
ditions"? Even photographers occa-
sionally trust each other Ovcrmuch.
How many memories of Lexow in
vestigation days are revived by the re-
tention here Of "Pantata," term with
which the American sense of humor
played for a little while. 10 reject it
ultimately as unworthy Of a permanent
place in 8 arsenal 90 slang. There is
a new adjective here, "novelese," by
analogy with 'journalese," and meau-
ing very much the same thing. Pro-
fessional book reviewers will welcome
il. Worth noting is the large contri-
button made by French to our language
in recent years. The vocabulary Of
automobiling alone has given rs
chauffeur" garage" limousine"
"tonneau" and chassis Aviators
have taken from it the hangar"
There is "sa botage." The ephemeral
French words of feminine fashions
vanish too fast TO be ever included in
/ the dictionaries of any tongue.
/ One new word we miss. a word emil
| nently worthy Of inclusion. II is a
word packed with meaning, cleverly in
vented, an ideal specimen of the "tee-
scope" or "portmanteau" word in whose
invention the English excel It is Of
English origin, Of course, this lovely.
telling word "shamateur."
This review barely scratches the sur
face Of the contents Of this New
Standard Dictionary" The lover Of
words will revel in It. And for ready
reference, for everyday use, it is sim
pliCity Itself