Palisadian., 1923-03-16
LANGUAGE AND STYLE

What is language? The simplest
answer would be that it is means
of communicating thought by signs,
sounds or symbols. The use of words
among the various peoples of the
world has produced the many tongues
or languages that are in vogue every
where. Students of language attrib
ute to the English tongue the most
volubility and perhaps as much rhythm
as any English among the modern
languages bases it's popularity upon it's
generic simplicity, though there are
perhaps more complexities of express
sion in it than any other. This is due
largely to the fact that there are so
many words of the same sound but
different meaning. For instance, hair.
hare, ours, hours, etc. The list could
be extended indefinitely. But in gen.
eral sense, to one who is student OF
English, the language seems to pos
sess all of the requisites of beauty and
an undeniable melody that are OF
wonderful appeal.
SO ones thoughts expressed in Eng
lish when clothed in simple words
form what may be attractive or. ap-
pealing according to the manner of
their use--that is, on how they are
put together to convey the meaning
intended.
TO the professional man, the writer
or speaker, the use of vocabulary
forms what we are pleased to call
style. Figuratively, great American,
himself stylist of marked ability.
said that style is the gesture of the
soul" pretty graceful definition in
itself
1t is on this thing of style to which
this writer would address himself in
considering language at this time,
since style in it's use is what carries
it's most forceful meanings. There are
many and varying forms of style, di-
dactic, simple, ornate or florid, Pc
dantic, exaggerative, complex, pro-
found and a socalled literary style
which often apes complexity as sort
of sandpaper burnisher. OF these by
far the most appealing is the simple
style. 1t carries all of the force and
beauty that may be put into language
and is by all odds the most thorough
and convincing. Then there is the
most unadmirable of any kind of
style-the circumlocutory, which un-
dertakes to express thought by going
all around an idea and extending its
point over circuitous routes, dragging
sentence upon sentence into play and
leaving the mind guessing at intended
meaning. There is, too, the egoistic
style, a style that calls attention to
itself so plainly that intent to show off
ones skill in word Juggling is appar
ent. This custom among public speak
ers leads them into many pitfalls
Where the egoist loses ground is in
his vainglorious imaginings that he is
scoring with the reader or listener
when in fact he cannot and does nor
hide his intent The "Thisis-P'
kind of style is vanity's most mex
cusable blunder. One may compose
beautiful sentiment and have reaches
into the clouds themselves from the
very inspiration of feeling, at the same
time give no semblance of egoism, be-
cause honesty is the very essence of
truth, and truth can never be denied.
An interesting and perhaps livid ex-
ample of the true meaning of sim
plicity of style is from our great think
er, Emerson, on language itself. 1--WE
infer the spirit of the nation in great
measure from the language, which is
sort of monument to which each
forcible individual in a course of many
hundred years has contributed
stone." Any attempt to better that
thought and give it greater strength
would fail, because it has in it all that
truth can contain. Emerson's fame
rests upon the fact that he was the
expression of greatness in simple
form. Most of the beauty of all Ian
guage rests in simplicity, and where
this quality is lacking much else of
value is lost. While 1t may be said