The Washington times., 1916-01-19

Says "Lexicographer's" Letter To
The Times Mail Bag Has Proved
His UndOing.
To the Editor OF THE TIMES:
Congratulations to the Mail Bag! II
has been honored by communication
from "Lekicographer" Of the Literary
Digest, that dlgnifed highbrow who,
as he himself declares, cannot "un-
dertake to consider, discuss, and de-
fend all the duestions submitted to
him." but who nevertheless. devoted
nearly column OF Saturday Even
ing's Times TO considering. discuss
ing, and defending the People vs..
Persons problem. 1t was an unfortu-
nate moment fnr the Funk & Wag-
nails Company when the "Lexicog-
rapher" wrote his letter OF January
II. He Is at home in the easy
chair" department OF the Digest, but
his first appearance in The Times
Mail Bag Department has been the
undoing OF himself and his employers.
The Lexicographer" has n standing
paragraph at the hand of mis- column
In the Digest stating that in his de-
clsions OF dUcstions concerning the
current use OF words he consults the
Funk Il Wagnalls New Standard Dis
tionary as arblter. 1t is a pity lie
the case at issue. l have before me
now a, copy OF "Errors in English"
by the managing editor OF Funk 81
MaEnalls New Standard Dictionary
Frank II. Nizetelly, Lit. -. LII. D..
who is also the author OF Essentials
OF English speech aud Literature"
Declaring that the one besettinR sin
of English speaking people Is a
tendency to use colloGuial inelegan-
cles, slang, vulgarisms, or to abuse
and misuse words and that the pUr-
pose .nt his book is "to correct care e
less diction and to point out common
errors and vulgarisms that have crept
INTO the language" Dr. Vizetelly says
tpagc 16D:
''People--where individual persons,
or number Of such. arc intended,
this word should be discarded in favor
OF persons, as InoS1 persons are of
this opinion People means persons
collectively, as people say"
Alas for the Funk & Wagnalls Cont
ranyl Here we have the managing
editor of their dictionary condemnini;
as an error in English" the uce OF
the word people after a numernl ad
Jective. and on the other hand the
master mind OF tie easy chair" de-
partnent OF the Digest declaring that
the statement, "Do what ! 500, ,00O
other people are doing" is $50 clear
go definite. so inCisiye, that he must
be n poor linguist indeed. who would
aasail 1t The surprising part OF the
'Ie&icographer" stand, however IL
that instead of quoting from the Now
standard Dictionary, which, accord
ing TO his standing announcement nj
the 11cad OF his Digest column, he con-
suits as aTbiteT in such matters, lie
quotes from the Bible' He was hard
pressed, indeed!
IN conclusion, let me say that while
the "LeSicographer" may put aside
grammar as a guide to correct English,
he will be wasting energy in trying
to put his opinion above the decisions
OF the New Standord. the Century the
Imperial, and Webster's dictionaries
Funk & Wagnalls Company should
call staff meeting and have Or. Vi
Zetelly, the managing editor OF their
dictionary, and one OF the leadin;;
authorities on English In this coun-
try, put the "LcNicoSraphcr" on tho
IiGht track before he sUcceeds In
making q Joke of the Whole concern.
FRANCIS DE SALTS RYAN.
Washington. Jan. II.