University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-05-20
A QUESTION OF GOOD ENGLISH
Dr. Raymond Weeks Shows How Our Lam
guage Is Indebted to the Erench--The
AnglO-SaxOn Fallacy.

different from that obtained by count
ing each word as many times as
occurs. Zach of these methods Q
counting has, of course, its prope
place.. To show more clearly wha
is meant, / have examined the ETY.
mologies of the first four paragraph
of Miss Learned's article.
In the first paragraph there ar
fifty-six words from the AnglO-Saxol
and twenty-four from other sources
that is, if we count each word as oftel
as it occurs. This would be 20 pei
cent of Anglo-Saxon words. If, how
ever. We more correctly count eacf
word only once, We find thirty-six An
glO-SaxOn words (65 per cent? as
against nineteen from other sources
In the subsequent paragraphs, this
percentage of superiority will of course
be gradually reduced, if, as is custo-
mary, We keep a running account OF
the vocabulary. Indeed, If an entire
volume by one author be thus examin-
ed, it will be found that, barring some
sudden change in subject-matter or
style. the percentage of Anglo-Saxon
words diminishes steadily, as the
totals for each chapter are added to
the totals of the chapters which pre-
cede. have not the time to make
this experiment on the article of Miss
Learned. A person however with a
mathematical bent can obtain indirect
light as to the correctness of my
statement from a most interesting
pamphlet published by R. C. Eldridge,
Niagara Falls, n. " Six Thousand
Common English Words, Their Com.
parative Frequency, ETC., 1912. Mr.
Eldridge's five lists give an aggregate
of more than $1,000 words, if the
words be counted every time they re-
cur. If, however, each word be
only once, there are less than
$4,000 different words. These figures
offer an estimate of the enormous
repetition of such threadbare words
as "the," "of," "and," to-" "in,"I
"a" 1t is to be hoped that someone
will discuss the contribution of Mr..
Eldridge in the columns of the Eng.
lish Journal.
Leaving aside the question of nu-
nerical superiority, it will probably |
be discovered that the non-Anglo-Sax-
On words in Miss Learned's article
represent loftier concepts than the
words. But We do not
leed to read the entire article: the
acts can be seen by examining the
complete and rather detailed title
which she gave to her article. Here
ire the words, arranged according to
derivation: Anglo-Saxon: to-" good"
English" "the," "for," "and," FROM"
speech: total, eight; French; me
essity," study" Language" simple"
personal; total, five; Latin: "criti-
ISM" "deteriorating." correct" "in-
ex"; total, four; Latin-French:
If We compare the eight
Inglo-Saxon words with the ten 9TH
rs, in which camp are the dignity,
eauty, and elevation" to be found?
The Bible has been mentioned above.
las it ever occurred to the author
HON I am venturing to criticise that
ne Bible is translation, and-whati
specially signiflcant-a religious
OF all books in western
ountries, it is likely to be rendered
ito language So simple that the very
okels can understand. The so-called
lltivated classes of England had for
amy generations been able to under
and more or less from their Bibles
nd prayer-books in Latin and French.
he translations into English inevi-
lbly leaned as far as possible away
ON Latin and French. In order to :
entirely just, why did not the au-
lor pause here to inform the nom
biological reader that the word q
'ible" itself came into English from =
e French. as did the word "testa-
ent"? And why not have seized the
'casion to undeceive those who think
at French has given US nothing but
ch words as amateur" and ONE :,
tte." and to offer a brief list of re- ~
yious words which have come to us
ON the pleasant country of France?l
le might. among many other words, (,
we mentioned these: religion" pl
aith." Sermon" text" "hymn,"l
race" immortality" humble"
entle." "just." "frail," chapel" 81
hoir." AISLE" pew" pulpit" bl
hant." "spilit." virtue" honor" g
eace." despair" paradise" !" grief" &c
lory." mansion" purity" Charity"
atience." innocence" majesty"
pity" Conscience"
morality" duty" "hu- TO