52 COFFEE WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO ENGLAND IN 1641. formance this evening!" Considering that most amateur performances are premature, we hesitate to say that this word was misapplied; though, evidently, the maternal intention was to convey quite another meaning. 147. OTHER ERRORS ARISE from the substitution of sounds similar to the words which should be employed; that is, spurious words instead of genuine ones. Thus, some people say "renumerative," when they mean munerative." A nurse, recommending her mistress to have one of the newlyinvented carriages for her child, advised her to purchase a preamputator! 66 re 148. OTHER ERRORS ARE OCCASIONED by imperfect knowledge of the English grammar. Thus, many people say, "Between you and I," instead of "Between you and me." By the misuse of the adjective: "What beautiful butter!" What a nice landscape!" They should say, "What a beautiful landscape!" "What nice butter!" And by numerous other departures from the rules of grammar, which will be pointed out hereafter. 149. BY THE MISPRONUNCIATION OF WORDS. Many persons say pronounciation instead of pronunciation; others say pro-nun'-she-a-shun, instead of pro-nun-ce-a-shun. 150. By THE MISDIVISION OF WORDS and syllables. This defect makes the words an ambassador sound like a nam-bassador, or an adder like a nadder. 151. BY IMPERFECT ENUNCIATION, as when a person says hebben for heaven, ebber for ever, jocholate for chocolate, &c. 152. BY THE USE OF PROVINCIALISMS, or words retained from various dialects, of which we give the following examples: 146. Errors in Speaking. There are several kinds of errors in speaking. The most objectionable of them are those in which words are employed that are unsuitable to convey the meaning intended. Thus, a person wishing to express his intention of going to a given place, says, "I propose going," when, in fact, he purposes going. An amusing illustration of this class of error was overheard by ourselves. A venerable matron was speaking of her 154. CUMBERLAND, SCOTLAND, &c. son, who, she said, was quite stage--Cuil, bluid, for cool, blood; spwort, struck. "In fact," remarked the old scworn, whoam, for sport, scorn, home; lady, "he is going to a premature per-a-theere for there; e-reed, seeven, for 153. CAMBRIDGESHIRE, CHESHIRE, SUFFOLK, &c.-Foyne, twoyne, for fine, twine; ineet for night; ǎ-mon for man; poo for pull. PHOSPHORUS WAS DISCOVERED IN 1677. red, seven; bleedin' for bleeding; hawf for half; saumon for salmon. 155. DEVONSHIRE, CORNWALL, &c. -F-vind for find; fet for fetch; wid for with; zee for see; tudder for the other; drash, droo, for thrash, and through; gewse for goose; Toosday for Tuesday. 156. ESSEX, LONDON, &c.-V-wiew for view; vent for went; vite for white; ven for when; vot for what. 157. HEREFORD, &c.-Clom for climb; hove for heave; puck for pick; rep for reap; sled for sledge. 158. LEICESTERSHIRE, LINCOLNSHIRE, LANCASHIRE, &c.-Housen for houses; a-loyne for lane; mon for man; thik for this; brig for bridge; thack, pick, for thatch, pitch. 159. YORKSHIRE, &c.-Foyt for foot; foight for fight; o-noite, foil, coil, hoil, for note, foal, coal, hole; loyne for lane; o-nooin, gooise, fooil, tooil, for noon, goose, fool, tool; spwort, seworn, whoam, for sport, scorn, home; g-yet for gate. 160. THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES of provincial dialects will be found very amusing: 53 caan't tell my A, B, C, and I wud rayther go to work agen." "Do as thee wool," ses Mally. Jan had not been out many days, afore the young gentle, man came by that lost the portmantle, and said, "Well, my ould man, did'ee see or hear tell o' sich a thing as a port. mantle ?" "Portmantle, sar, was't that un, sumthing like thickey ?" (pointing to one behind es saddle). I vound one the t'other day zackly like that." "Where es et ?" "Come along, I carr'd'en and gov'en to my ould 'ooman, Mally; thee sha't av'en, nevr vear.Mally, where es that roul of lither I broft en tould thee to put en a top of the teaster of the bed, afore I go'd to scool?" "Drat thee emperance," said the young gentleman; "thee art bewattled; that were afore I were born." So he druv'd off, and left all the three hunderd pounds with Jan and Mally. 162. THE MIDDLESEX THIMBLERIGGER.-Now, then, my jolly sports. men, I've got more money than the parson of the parish. Those as don't play can't vin, and those as are here harn't there! I'd hold any on you, from a tanner to a sovereign, or ten, as you don't tell which thimble the pea is under." "It's there, sir." "I barı tellings." "I'll go it again." "Vat you don't see don't look at, and vat you do see don't tell. I'll hould you a soveren, sir, you don't tell me vitch thimble the pea is under." "Lay him, sir (in a whisper), it's under the middle 'un. I'll go you halves." 'Lay him another; that's right." "I'm blow'd, but we've lost; who'd a thought it ?" Smack goes the flat's hat over his eyes; exit the confederates, with a loud laugh. 161. THE CORNWALL SCHOOLBOY. -An ould man found, one day, a young gentleman's portmantle, as he were a going to es dennar; he took'd et en and gived et to es wife, and said, "Mally, here's a roul of lither, look, see, I suppoase some poor ould shoemaker or other have los'en; tak'en, and put'en a top of the teaster of tha bed; he'll be glad to hab'en agin sum day, I dear say." The ould man, Jan, that was es neame, went to es work as before. Mally than opened the portmantle, and found en et three hunderd pounds. Soon after thes, the ould man not being-WILTSHIRE. very well, Mally said, Jan, l'ave saaved away a little money, by the bye, and as thee caan't read or write, thee shu'st go to scool" (he were then nigh threescore and ten). He went but a very short time, and comed hoam one day and said, "Mally, I waint go to scool no more, 'caase the childer do be laffen at me; they can tell their letters, and I 163. THE HARNET AND THE BITTLE, A harnet zet in a hollur tree,- 51 AVERAGE WEIGHT OF MAN'S BRAIN, 3 LLS.; WOMAN'S, 2 LES. 11 oz. Zays he, "Zur harnet, who giv' thee A right to zet in thuck there tree? Vor ael you zengs zo nation vine, I tell 'e 'tis a house o' mine."' The harnet's conscience velt a twinge, Be off, and leave the tree to me, Just then a yuckel passin' by, MORAL. All you as be to laaw inclined, 164. MEASTER GODDIN used to zay as how children costed a sight o' money to breng um up, and 'twas all very well whilst um was leetle, and zucked th' mother, but when um begind to zuck the vather, 'twas nation akkerd! 165. YORKSHIRE.-Men an' women is like so monny cards, played wi' be two opponents, Time an' Eternity: Time gets a gam' noo an' then, and hez t'pleasure o' keepin' his cards for a bit, bud Eternity's be far t'better hand, an' proves, day be day, an' hoor be hoor, 'at he's winnin incalcalably fast.-"Hoo sweet, hoo varry sweet is life!" as t' flee said when he wur stuck i' treacle! 166. Persons bred in these localities, and in Ireland and Scotland, retain more or less of their provincialisms; and, therefore, when they move into other districts, they become conspicuous for the peculiarities of their speaking. In many cases they appear vulgar and uneducated, when they are not so. It is, therefore, very desirable for all persons to approach the recognized standard of correctness as nearly as possible. 167. To CORRECT THESE ERRORS by a systematic course of study would involve a closer application than our readers generally could afford, and would require much more space than we can devote to the subject. We will therefore give numerous Rules and Hints, in a concise and simple form, which will be of great assistance to inquirers. These Rules and Hints will be founded upon the authority of scholars, the usages of the bar, the pulpit, and the senate, and the authority of societies formed for the purpose of collecting and diffusing knowledge pertaining to the language of this country. 168. Rules and Hints for Correct Speaking.-1. Who and whom are used in relation to persons, and which in relation to things. But it was once common to say, "the man which." This should now be avoided. It is now usual to say, "Our Father who art in heaven," instead of "which art in heaven." 2. Whose is, however, sometimes applied to things as well as to persons. We may therefore say, "The country whose inhabitants are free." [Grammarians differ in opinion upon this subject, but general usage justifies the rule.] 3. Thou is employed in solemn discourse, and you in common language. Ye (plural) is also used in serious addresses, and you in familiar language. 4. The uses of the word It are various, and very perplexing to the uneducated. It is not only used to imply persons, but things, and even ideas, and therefore, in speaking or writing, its assistance is constantly required. The perplexity respecting this word arises from the fact that in using it in the construction of a long sentence, sufficient care is not taken to insure that when it is employed it really points out or refers to the object intended. For instance, "It was raining when John set out in his cart to go to the market, and he was delayed so long that it was over before he arrived." Now what is to be understood by this sentence? Was the rain over? or the market? Either or both might be inferred from the con MAN'S HEART BEATS 92,160 TIMES IN A DAY. struction of the sentence, which, therefore, should be written thus :-"It was raining when John set out in his cart to go to the market, and he was delayed so long that the market was over before he arrived." 5. Rule. After writing a sentence always look through it, and see that wherever the word It is employed, it refers to or carries the mind back to the object which it is intended to point out. 6. The general distinction between This and That is, this denotes an object present or near, in time or place, that something which is absent. 7. These refers, in the same manner, to present objects, while those refers to things that are remote. 8. Who changes, under certain conditions, into whose and whom. But that and which always remain the same. 9. That may be applied to nouns or subjects of all sorts; as, the girl that went to school, the dog that bit me, the ship that went to London, the opinion that he entertains. 10. The misuse of these pronouns gives rise to more errors in speaking and writing than any other cause. 11. When you wish to distinguish between two or more persons, say, "Which is the happy man ?"-not who-" Which of those ladies do you admire ?" 12. Instead of "Who do you think him to be ?"-Say, "Whom do you think him to be ?" 13. Whom should I see? 55 is used as an interrogative, it does not become whom; as "Who do you speak to ?" "Who do you expect?" "Who is she married to?" "Who is this reserved for ?" "Who was it made by ?" Such sentences are found in the writings of our best authors, and it would be presumptuous to consider them as ungrammatical. If the word whom should be preferred, then it would be best to say, "For whom is this reserved ?" &c. 22. Instead of "After which hour," "After that hour." say 23. Self should never be added to his, their, mine, or thine. 24. Each is used to denote every individual of a number. 25. Every denotes all the individuals of a number. 26. Either and or denote an alternative: "I will take either road, at your pleasure;" "I will take this or that." 27. Neither means not either; and nor means not the other. 28. Either is sometimes used for each-"Two thieves were crucified, on either side one." 29. "Let each esteem others as good as themselves," should be, "Let each esteem others as good as himself." 30. "There are bodies each of which are so small," should be, "each of which is so small." 31. Do not use double superlatives, such as most straightest, most highest, most finest. 32. The term worser has gone out of use; but lesser is still retained. 33. The use of such words as chiefest, extremest, &c., has become obsolete, because they do not give any superior force to the meanings of the primary words, chief, extreme, &c. 34. Such expressions as more impossible, more indispensable, more universal, more uncontrollable, more unlimited, &c., are objectionable, as they really enfeeble the meaning which it is the object of the speaker or writer to strengthen. For instance, impossible gains no strength by rendering it more impossible. This class of error is com 56 THE HUMAN BODY HAS 240 BONES. mon with persons who say, "A great large house," A great big animal," "A little small foot," "A tiny little hand." 35. Here, there, and where, originally denoting place, may now, by common consent, be used to denote other meanings; such as, "There I agree with you, "Where we differ,' "We find pain where we expected pleasure," "Here you mistake me.' 36. Hence, whence, and thence, denoting departure, &c., may be used without the word from. The idea of from is included in the word whence -therefore it is unnecessary to say, "From whence." 37. Hither, thither, and whither, denoting to a place, have generally been superseded by here, there, and where. But there is no good reason why they should not be employed. If, however, they are used, it is unnecessary to add the word to, because that is implied"Whither are you going?" "Where are you going?" Each of these sentences is complete. To say, "Where are you going to ?" is redundant. 38. Two negatives destroy each other, and produce an affirmative. "Nor did he not observe them," conveys the idea that he did observe them. 48. Instead of "You are taller than me," say "You are taller than I." 49. Instead of " I ain't," or "I arn't," say "I am not." 50. Instead of "Whether I be present or no," say "Whether I be present or not." 51. For "Not that I know on," say "Not that I know." 52. Instead of "Was I to do so," say "Were I to do so." 53. Instead of "I would do the samo if I was him," say "I would do the same if I were he." 54. Instead of "I had as lief go myself," say "I would as soon go myself," or "I would rather." 55. It is better to say "Bred and born," than "Born and bred." 56. It is better to say "Six weeks ago," than "Six weeks back." 57. It is better to say time," than "Since when." 58. It is better to say "I repeated it," than "I said so over again." Since which 59. It is better to say "A physician," or "A surgeon" (according to his degree), than "A medical man." 60. Instead of "He was too young to have suffered much," say "He was too young to suffer much.' 61. Instead of "Less friends," say tity. 39. But negative assertions are allow-"Fewer friends." Less refers to quanable. "His manners are not unpolite," which implies that his manners are, in some degree, marked by politeness. 40. Instead of "I had rather walk," say "I would rather walk." 41. Instead of "I had better go," say "It were better that I should go." 42. Instead of "I doubt not but I shall be able to go,” say “I doubt not that I shall be able to go." 43. Instead of "Let you and I," say "Let you and me." 44. Instead of "I am not so tall as him," say "I am not so tall as he." 45. When asked "Who is there do not answer "Me," but "I." 46. Instead of "For you and I," "For you and me." 47. Instead of "Says I," say said." 62. Instead of "A quantity of people," say "A number of people." 63. Instead of "He and they we know," say "Him and them." 64. Instead of "As far as I can see," say "So far as I can see." 65. Instead of "If I am not mistaken," say "If I mistake not." say 66. Instead of "You are mistaken," "You mistake." 67. Instead of "What beautiful tea!" say "What good tea!" 68. Instead of "What a nice pros?"pect!" say "What a beautiful prospect!" 69. Instead of "A new pair of gloves," say "A pair of new gloves." 70. Instead of saying "He belongs to the house," say "The house belongs to say "I him." |