Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-12-07
THE LANGUAGE OF AMERICA.
By Prof. Ned B. Warren.


THE LANGUAGE OF AMERICA.
By Prof. Ned B. Warren.
Among the habits developed by hu-
man beings none is so elaborate as
language; none is so intimately re-
lated to thought. 1t is the dis
tinging characteristic between Greek
and barbarian, between Hebrew and
gentle. In more emphatic degree, it
is work of distinction between man
and his nearest relatives in the ami
NAL kingdom. In the thinking of
most people, language is a product
or expression of mans higher intelli-
gence.
But it is more than a product of
thought; it is the instrument which
makes thought possible. The ad-
vance which human language makes
beyond animal communication con-
sists in the fact that human language
relates sounds to ideas as we'll as to
emotional attitudes. Even when we
think about our most direct expert
ences we use words. And yet these
words are meaningless except when
| we assume processes for evolving
ideals as the necessary conditions for
their development and interpreta-
tion.,
| Within our own memories lam
guage has undergone changes and
| developments which have been so
natural and so definite in their char
| acter that it seems probable that Ian
guage abs always been evolving just
as it is at the present time.
We may liken its growth to that
/ of persons vocabulary. The infant
does not utter sounds from any con-
scious desire to communicate its, feel
ing to those about it, nor in an at
tempt at verbal discussion of its
conscious experiences. 1t makes
noises just as it swings its arms and
leg, because the muscular cpfffae-
! tion which produce these noises are
instructive motor expressions. So
waswas the beginning of language.
Later there appears a tendency to
| initiate others and the infant develops
kind of communication similar to
that which we find in animals. An
animal can induce other animals to
fear and flight by means of cries
which in the history of each member
( of the flock have been associated
with fear. But there is yet no Ian
guage. The child grows and begins
| to associate the words it hears with
| the objects about it, and later it at
tempts to use these words itself. The
efforts are at first unintelligible,
but constant imitation of the nurse
and parents enables it to gain con-
troll of its vocal organs and finally
use a few words in a more or less
connected sense. Then it has a vo-
cabulary which increases from day
to day.
! Centuries were probably requir-
ed for primitive man to develop a
crude language, but once the begin
ming was made, the growth was rapid
and continuous, even las ideas have
originated and expanded. This
growth is a feature of language
which demands care.
/ Ever since the English language
began we have plundered every other
tongue for words to express our
meaning. AS we have it today, it's
partial compound of German and
Latin with such additions as most of
our scientific nomenclature from Il /
Greek, our musical vocabulary large
/ ly from the Italian, our French terms
of dress and cooking, and chose words
we have learned from the NORTH
/ American Indians. Illustrations OF
words taken from every language
could be found The language OF
America is indeed typical of its peo.
pie.
Language molds the thoughts Of
those who speak it and a diversity
of language means diversity of in,
terests.
The recent war showed US clearly
the need of a common language
throughout the nation. Orientals on
the Pacific coast, Mexicans in the
!border states, Germans, Swedes, Rus
jsians, Italians and whatnot in the
East and Middle West should be
taught to speak and write English.
Not until we can talk to them in
our own language can we prevail
| upon them to be real Americans with
American sympathies,N hUpes and
ideals.
III the hurry and hustle of the du-
ties of life, we have fallen into care
less and slovenly habits of speech.
AS one writer says Strange how
careful people are about dress
how sure that dignity and good taste
in dress help to make ones success
in getting On in the world-and at
the same time how careless these
same peopel are about speech, which
| is the dress of the mind" Most of
us take readily to slang. 1t is very
true that slang expressions often
creep into the dictionaries and are