Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS ENGLISH

Pecuiarities Revealed in the Message Delivered
to Congress Today.
TIME Presidents English has been COM
i mended as a model for less distinguished
citizens to follow. He is noted for his flow
ing diction his simplicity and his apt use
Of words large number of them of Anglo
Saxon descent. This simplicity perhaps, is
gained by the employment of an unusually
large number OF monosyllables.
In the first paragraph of the message de-
livered today there are 100 words. of which
but "a contain more than one syllable and
but seven contain more than two syllabes,
and one Of them is compound word. An
illustration OF this maximum use of mono
syllables is found in the last part of the last
sentence of the paragraph: But no doubt
we stand too near the work that has been
done and are ourselves too much part of it
to play the part of historians toward It,"
There are 10 monosyllables, a two-syllable
word, 10 monosyllables, two longer words
and finally, a Tnonosyllable again. OF the
20 words, all but three of one syllable.
1t will be noted, too, that the President
never renders his thought intricate by en-
deavoring to avoid repetition. Referring
again to the first paragraph in the massage,
we find too much part OF 1t to play the
part" and again. in the second paragraph,
I'VE face new tasks, have been facing them
for six months, must face them in the
months to come-face them without partisan
feeling" Mr.. Wilson does not apply an
eight-hour law to words; he makes them
work, and they must do their work over
and over again II necessary.
The President 1t will be noticed, says, ITO
spenk plainly we have grossly erred" not
II. .N..N..
which. while just as neatly balanced. would
nevertheless contain a split infinitive The
perfect tense admits of greater freedom in
the use OF the adverb. Yet Mr.. Wilson Is
not opposed to waste in words when nee
essary to mellow the euphony I'VE have
year after year debated'-again the modi-
der between the auxiliary and the verb in
its perfect form--"withOut end or conclu-
sion" Without end" would be sufficient,
of course. to round out the idea, and, so far
as sense goes, Tor conclusion" is unnec-
essary.
The Presidents use OF mot only" Is very
peculiar as in the sentence, "War has inter-
rupted the means Of trade not only, but also
the processes of production This bring
ing of mot only" and but also" into the
closest possible proximity Is unusual, all
though not without precedent. And such
ousable In oratory.
At one place in his address the President
says ITO have begun such measures and
not completed them would indeed mar the
record OF this great Congress very seriously"
1t may be doubted In this case II the Sc
quenee OF lenses is correct ITO have begun
such measures and not to complete them
would indeed mar would be far better, for
the text shows that the measures have been
begun. while the completion OF them. viewed
as a future act viii mar or not mar the
record as the case may be- In any event,
nice distinction IN the use OF lenses was
missed.
But for students who rsyel Ia history and
the use Of words. ths most significant pas
sage in the message Is "a coast line greater
than that OF the United States themselves"
Controversy more than half century ago,
ragged over no less question than this
United states or these United States"
secessionists We're fond Of quoting the plural
form as used BY the elder statesmen and
found in the early documents Of the nation,
the idea being that It proved a plurality Of
soyereigns each Of which retained the SOW
ereisn right Of repudiating It's allegiance 10 a
loose Union Appomattdx It has generally
been considered. decided IN favor Of this"
ana certainly for the last 50 years It has been
customary 20 use the United states as sings
lar Therefore the references by the Prssl-
dent to the United States themselves
seems 20 be an anaehronism. although. 81
peculiar circumstances It cannot he doubted
that the use of the plural Is dsfensible on
grounds not political
There are few men Who write or speak
purer Enslish than the President Ysi per-
faes use Of ths lansuaEs s unknoVn. Not
many years aso lamoQs professor 81 Ens-
llsh Is e or ezeAt 4aiFeEsfiss wrote
81 Artiele far mzeaslne 8 Nhlch = pointed
Gus certain eanma s h'aa Ata.ld ne
aVeier r. a a ~ iIF
q W M
stna