New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-30


Perhaps the most important matter
20 an students Of English is the i'm
provemcut and the enlargement of -hc
vocabulary. You should STRIVE for
simplicity. cloaruess and individuality
in your use Of words, whether you are
speaking or writing. To attain these
qualities YOU must acquire AN extensive
Vocabulary: and an extensive vOcabu-
larry means q sufficient store Of avail
able words 20 enable you, upon The
spur Of the moment. 90 select just the
right sword or torn of phrase 20 express
your thought.
With This end i'm view. you will find
the following suggestions worth heed
First Read the works OF the best
prose writer's writer's like Dickens,
Cardinal Newman. Thackeray, Lowell,
Poe. Hawthorne. Stevenson and Kip
ling. Read In two ways: First 10 catch
tho meaning and the spirit; and, sec
ond. 20 add words and phrases TO your
own vocabulary. Jot these words and
rhrases down, or mark them as you
read. Then use them IN sentences OF
your own framing, uttcrng these SEN
fences aloud. if possible.
Second Cultivate the habit Of lis
tcning 10 the language OF men and
women Of culture. Make it a point to
hear good speakers and 10 note some
of their felicities Of expression. Take
notes.
Third Avoid stereotyped, round
about phrases like the following, which
have been in use so long as TO have
lost all freshness and originality:
Downy couch, lower limbs. a grand
ovation. misguided youth, sumptuous
rruast, tousorial artist. caudal appen-
dages. faded into oblivion, the place
of his nativity, through storm and sun
shine. esteemed favor, etc.
Fourth Prefer specific words to
general words words that stand for
classes Of objects or ideas when you
wish 10 express a specific idea. To
walk. for example. which is a general
word. may mean 20 shamblc. 10 scuf,
10 side. 20 stalk. 20 march, TO loll, 20
rush. TO ambIe. TO saunter. 20 mince,
20 stumble, to stride Specify the sort
OF walking you mean
Fifth Now and then use figures Of
speech. A figure of speech is word
or group Of words used IN a sense not
exactly literal II is more vivid. for
example 20 say that the sea was blank
etcd with, than covered with, q thick
fox
Sixth Avoid slang new words or
phrases which are usually inclcgaut
and which arc employed only by the
ilhtcratc of by hose who speak care
lossly Slang is easily cnized, and
no examples OF 10 need be given. The
slang of yesterday is scarcely iutclligi-
Bile to-dey. Slang also crowds The de-
slrab.c words and phrases from your
vocabulary. These two rcasons show
why YOU should avoid the habitual use
OF slang. even though certain slang cX-
pressions at the time OF uttcrancc seem
plGuaut and racy.
Seventh Cultivate the habit OF con-
sultinC good unabridged dictionary
Find out the exact spelling, the czac,
pronunciation and the exact meaning
Of every word about which YOU are iu
doubt Then write that word iu YOU,
vocabulary notebook. and use It from
time 90 time in sentence o. your OWL
construction.
Business letters.
just q word or two as 20 letter writ
ing. The purpose Of any business let.
ter is 90 take The place Of converse.
ton bearing upon some aspect Of 'hC
affairs OF commerce. The range Of q
business letter. therefore, is very vide
and admits Of as much variety 'n point
Of view. in style, and In content rs thC
personality Of the writer and his under.
standing OF the circumstances chat
prompt the letter sec &c 10 express
Lack of space forbids a detailed treat
men, Of me many kinds Of letters. Men
tiou may be made. however. Of one i'm
portaut aspect Of sales letters .h,
view point Of the writer.
The chief weakness of many sale.
letters is their wrong viewpoint They
ere full Of rs. ny's. mines, wc's, our.
and us's. but devoid of many you's OF
yours. In other words, the writer, "a,
often os not, assumes that the view
point of the receiver OF the letter must
be- the same as his own. u is but nat
ural that a letter Of this kind should
be only partly read, or not read at all
As a matter of fact. no two persons
| even IN the same profession or doing
the same kind Of work, take precisely