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"NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN!"
FIVE HUNDRED MISTAKES
OF DAILY OCCURRENCE
IN SPEAKING, PRONOUNCING, AND WRITING
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,
CORRECTED.
"Which--if you but open--
You will be unwilling,
For many a shilling,
To part with the profit
Which you shall have of it."
[_The Key to Unknown Knowledge._--LONDON, 1569.
"It is highly important, that whatever we learn or know, we should
know CORRECTLY; for unless our knowledge be correct, we lose half its
value and usefulness."--_Conversations on Botany._
NEW-YORK:
DANIEL BURGESS & CO., 60 JOHN STREET.
1856.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by
WALTON BURGESS,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court
of the United States for the Southern
District of New York.
PREFACE.
This book is offered to the public, not to be classed with elaborate or
learned works, nor expected, like some of its more pretending companions
among the offspring of the press, to run the gauntlet of literary
criticism. It was prepared to meet the wants of persons--numbered by
_multitudes_ in even the most intelligent and refined communities--who
from deficiency of education, or from carelessness of manner, are in the
habit of misusing many of the most common words of the English language,
distorting its grammatical forms, destroying its beauty, and corrupting
its purity. The most thorough mode that could be adopted to correct such
errors, would doubtless be to impart to the ignorant a practical knowledge
of the principles of language, as embodied in treatises on grammar; but
such a good work, however desirable its results, has, in time past, been
too difficult for the promoters of education to complete, and is still too
great to give promise of speedy accomplishment. A better expedient,
bearing immediate fruits, has been adopted in the present volume, which,
while it does not aim to produce a radical reform, cannot fail to render
great service to those who need to improve their usual modes of
expression, and to be more discriminating in their choice of words.
The more frequent and less excusable mistakes that may be noticed in
ordinary conversation or correspondence, are here taken up, one by
one--exposed, explained, and corrected. They consist variously of abuses
of grammar, misapplications of words and phrases, improprieties of
metaphor and comparison, misstatements of meaning, and faults of
pronunciation. They are grouped miscellaneously, _without classification_,
not so much because of the difficulty of devising an arrangement that
would be systematic and intelligible, as from the evident fact that a
division of subjects would render no assistance to those for whom the book
is specially designed; for an appropriate classification would necessarily
derive its features from the forms of grammar, and with these the readers
of this book are supposed to be to a great extent unfamiliar.
The volume is put forth with no flourish of trumpets, and makes no
extravagant pretensions; yet the publishers believe it will be regarded as
a timely and useful work. If the race of _critics_ should not like it--and
while books have their "faults," critics have their "failings"--they are
reminded that he who corrects an old error, may render no less service to
his brethren, than he who discovers a new truth. If the work shall be the
means of saving one sensitive man from a confusion of blushes, in the
presence of a company before which he desired to preserve his equanimity,
it will not have gone forth without a mission of benefit, which will merit
at least one acknowledgment.
INTRODUCTION.
The aim of this book, by correcting a multitude of common errors in the
use of language, is mainly to offer assistance to such persons as need
greater facilities for accurate expression _in ordinary conversation_. It
is not designed to suggest topics of talk, nor to give rules or examples
pointing out the proper modes of arranging them; but simply to insure
persons who often have a good thing to say, from the confusion and
mortification of improperly saying it. This chapter of introduction will
not, therefore, be expected to present an essay on the general subject of
conversation.
It may be remarked, however, by way of admonitory hint to some, that the
most prominent error in the conversation of those who commit the most
blunders, does not consist in saying too little that amounts to much, but
too much that amounts to little; talkativeness is a characteristic more
commonly of the ignorant, than of the wise. Shenstone says, "The common
fluency of speech in many men, and most women, is owing to a scarcity of
matter and a scarcity of words; for whoever is master of a language, and
moreover has a mind full of ideas, will be apt, in speaking, to hesitate
upon the choice of both; but common speakers have only one set of ideas
and one set of words to clothe them in,--and these are always ready at the
mouth. Just so, _people can come faster out of a church when it is almost
empty, than when a crowd is at the door_!" But although, according to the
old proverb, "a still tongue denotes a wise head," the faculty of speech
should not be neglected, merely because it may be misused.
Conversation is not a gift bestowed only upon those whom genius favors; on
the contrary, many men eminent for their fluency of style in writing, have
been noted for habitual taciturnity in their intercourse with society.
Hazlitt remarked, that "authors should be read, not heard!" Charles II. of
England, not only the wittiest of monarchs, but one of the liveliest of
men, is said to have been so charmed in reading the humor of Butler's
"Hudibras," that he disguised himself as a private gentleman, and was
introduced to the author, whom, to his astonishment, he found to be one of
the _dullest_ of companions. On the other hand, some of the humblest men
with whom one falls into company, possessed of but little variety, and
less extent of information, are highly entertaining talkers. The
particular topic of remark does not form so essential a part of an
interesting conversation, as the words and manner of those who engage in
it. Robert Burns, sitting down on one occasion to write a poem, said:
"Which way the subject theme may gang,
Let time or chance determine;
Perhaps it may turn out a sang,--
Or probably a sermon."
In the same manner, the subject of a conversation need not be made a
matter of study, or special preparation. Men may talk of things momentous
or trivial, and in either strain be alike attractive and agreeable.
But quitting the consideration of the thought, to refer to the mode of its
expression, it must be remarked and insisted, that to "murder the king's
English" is hardly less a crime, than to design against one of the king's
subjects. If committed from ignorance, the fault is at least deplorable;
but if from carelessness, it is inexcusable. The greatest of sciences is
that of language; the greatest of human arts is that of using words. No
"cunning hand" of the artificer can contrive a work of mechanism that is
to be compared, for a moment, with those wonderful masterpieces of
ingenuity, which may be wrought by him who can skilfully mould a beautiful
thought into a form that shall preserve, yet radiate its beauty. A mosaic
of words may be made more fair, than of inlaid precious stones. The
scholar who comes forth from his study, a master of the English language,
is a workman who has at his command hardly less than a hundred thousand
finely-tempered instruments, with which he may fashion the most cunning
device. This is a trade which all should learn, for it is one that every
individual is called to practise. The greatest support of virtue in a
community is intelligence; intelligence is the outgrowth of knowledge; and
the almoner of all knowledge is language. The possession, therefore, of
the resources, and a command over the appliances of language, is of the
utmost importance to every individual. Words are current coins of the
realm, and they who do not have them in their treasury, suffer a more
pitiable poverty than others who have not a penny of baser specie in their
pocket; and the multitude of those who have an unfailing supply, but which
is of the wrong stamp, are possessed only of counterfeit cash, that will
not pass in circles of respectability. The present work therefore is, in
some respects, not unlike the "Detector" issued for the merchants, to
indicate the great amount of worthless money that is in general
circulation with the good.
It is not to be supposed that all the mistakes of daily occurrence in the
use of language, are to be numbered by "five hundred"--possibly not by
five thousand; but it is evident that he who is instructed against five
hundred of his habitual blunders, and enabled to steer clear of every one
of them, has in no slight degree improved his conversation, and thereby
increased his importance. As a prefix, or accompaniment, to this catalogue
of corrected mistakes, the presentation of a few rules or principles of
language, which, strictly observed, might guard against numerous general
classes of errors, would not be thought misplaced, or undesirable. Some
suggestions on points most prominent are accordingly given among these
introductory remarks--not in formal statements of grammatical rules, but
in examples in which the spirit of such rules is revealed.
Not the least glaring among the many misuses of words and forms of
expression in conversation, occur by incorrectly employing the
pronouns--_who_, _which_, _what_, and _that_. It may be remarked, that
_who_ should be applied exclusively to persons. _Which_ usually refers to
animals and inanimate objects, except in such an expression as, "Tell me
_which_ of the two men was chosen?" _What_, means _that which_: thus,
"This is the book _what_ I wanted," should read, "This is the book _that_
(or _which_) I wanted."
Among interrogatives, _who?_ inquires for the name; _which?_ for the
individual; _what?_ for the character, or occupation. Thus, "_Who_ built
the bridge?" "Mr. Blake." "_Which_ of the Blakes?" "_Charles_ Blake."
"_What_ was he?" "A distinguished civil engineer."
The title of a small book for young people, recently published, was--"The
Way _that_ Little Children enter Heaven:" the word _that_ is here
incorrectly used as a substitute for _in which_, or _by which_.
When _this_ and _that_, and their plurals, are used in the sense of
_latter_ and _former_, _this_ and _these_ signify the _latter_, and _that_
and _those_ the _former_. Thus, in the following couplet from Burns:
"Farewell my friends, farewell my foes,
My peace with _these_, my love with _those_."
_these_ refers to "foes," and _those_ to "friends."
In the possessive case of nouns, some instances occur in which a wise
choice may be made, but in respect to which usage is divided. Thus, we may
say, "They called at _Walton's the bookseller's_," or, with equal
propriety, as far as custom is concerned, "at _Walton the bookseller's_."
The first form, however, is preferable.
The use of the hyphen [-] is frequently disregarded in epistolary
correspondence, occasioning not only a blemish but a blunder. Its
importance may be seen by comparing the meaning of "_glass house_" with
"_glass-house_;" the former may mean the Crystal Palace, while the latter
is a manufactory of glass-ware.
Adjectives are often improperly used for adverbs: as, "_extreme_ bad
weather," for "_extremely_ bad weather."
It is sometimes difficult to choose between such phrases as "the _first
three_," and "the _three first_." To say _first three_ when there is no
_second three_ is inelegant, because superfluous; and _three first_ is
absurd, because impossible. The most successful pupil in each of two
classes at school would not improperly be called "the _two first boys_;"
while propriety would require that the first and second boys of the same
class should be called "the _first two boys_." As a general rule, and easy
to be recollected, let _"first" be first_.
The use of _some_ for _about_ is by many writers thought to be awkward:
as, "_Some_ fifty years ago," instead of "_About_ Fifty years."
An ambiguity occasionally arises in employing the adjective _no_. Thus,
"No money is better than gold," may mean either that gold is the best kind
of money, or that gold is not so good as _no money at all_!
After numerals, the words _couple_, _pair_, _dozen_, _score_, _hundred_,
_thousand_, and a few others, need not take the plural form: thus, custom
first, and finally grammar, have sanctioned such uses as, "three _pair_ of
shoes," "nine _dozen_ bushels," "four _couple_ of students;" also, "_forty
sail_ of vessels," "seventy _head_ of cattle."
The article (_a_ or _an_) renders an important service in such expressions
as, "_A few_ followed their leader throughout the long struggle." To say,
"_Few_ followed him," would imply, unlike the former phrase, that he was
almost deserted.
"A black and a white horse," suggests the idea of two horses; while "a
black and white horse," refers to but one--as if written "a
_black-and-white_ horse."
"The red and white dahlias were most admired," properly means the dahlias
in which both these colors were blended. "The red and _the_ white
dahlias," implies two species.
The grammatical number of a verb should agree with that of its subject,
and not of its predicate. Thus, the sentences, "Death _is_ the wages of
sin," and "The wages of sin _are_ death," are properly written.
In changing from a past tense to the present, when the same nominative
remains, the form of the verb should continue unaltered. Thus, instead of
saying "He _was traveling_ and _travels_," say "He _was traveling_ and _is
traveling_."
When a verb has both a singular and a plural nominative, separated by
_or_, its number agrees with that of the _nearer_: as, "the cup or his
_billiards were_ his ruin;" or, "his billiards or the _cup was_ his ruin."
Custom--which, when _crystallized_, becomes grammar--allows expressions
like "The linen _tears_," and "The meadow _plows_ well," although they
should not be frequently employed, and should be more seldom coined.
A fruitful source of mistakes in language, is in the linking together of
two or more inappropriate tenses, or in the misuse of one. Many among the
learned and refined commit blunders of these kinds. A few corrected
examples of such are here given:
"His text was, that God _was_ love;" the sentence should be written, "His
text was, that God _is_ love."
"The Lord _hath given_, and the Lord hath taken away;" say, "The Lord
_gave_, and the Lord hath taken away."
"They _arrived_ before we left the city:" say, "they _had arrived_."
"All the brothers _have been_ greatly indebted to their father:" say,
"_are indebted_."
"This painting _was preserved and exhibited_ for the last century:" say,
"_has been_ preserved and exhibited."
"It was the last act he intended _to have performed_." say, "_to
perform_."
"He _drinks_ wine at dinner," means that such is his habit; "he _is
drinking_ wine at dinner," refers to one particular time and occasion.
Adverbs are often inelegantly used instead of adjectives; as, "the _then_
ministry," for "the ministry of that time."
Of the phrases "_never_ so good," or, "_ever_ so good," as to whether one
is preferable to the other, authority is divided. Modern usage inclines to
the latter, while ancient preferred the former, as in the Scriptural
expression, "charm he _never_ so wisely."
_Yea_ and _nay_ are not equivalent to _yes_ and _no_; the latter are
directly affirmative and negative, while the former are variously
employed.
Of prepositions, it has been frequently said, that no words in the
language are so liable to be incorrectly used. For example, "The love _of_
God," may mean either "His love to us," or, "our love to Him."
Many more of these particles are inelegantly, if not ambiguously used.
Instead of "the natives were a different race _to_ what they are now,"
say, "different _from_."
"He was made much _on_ in the country:" say, "made much _of_."
"In compliance _of_ your request:" say, "in compliance _with_."
"He doubts _if_ his friend will come," is not so elegant and accurate as,
"He doubts _whether_ his friend will come."
More instances might be given, setting forth other frequent errors of
speaking and writing, at the risk, however, of destroying the due
proportion which should exist between the size of a work and the _length
of the Introduction_. But a good heed to what has been said in the few
preceding paragraphs, will enable a person who carefully reads this work
to mend his modes of expression, to no inconsiderable degree. It is well
known that there is no "royal road to learning," but if there were, it
could hardly be expected that such a little book as this would afford a
passport to the end of the course. About two hundred years ago, a small
volume was put forth by one "John Peters, learned scholar and author,"
which had the following long-winded title: "A New Way to make Latin
Verses, whereby any one of ordinary capacity, that only _knows the A, B,
C_ and can _count nine_, though he understands not _one word of Latin_, or
what a verse means, may be plainly taught to make thousands of Hexameter
and Pentameter Verses, which shall be true Latin, true Verse, and Good
Sense!" The present volume must not be expected to accomplish so great a
result as this--not having so comprehensive an aim, nor possessing so
great a secret of success. But it is hoped that it may incite some who are
unfortunately deficient in education, to seek so much additional knowledge
as shall enable them at least to converse in a dialect which is within the
compass of the language of their country, and free them from the
imputation of belonging to another tribe of men, speaking another tongue.
A Welshman, residing near Caermarthon, who was seldom seen at the only
church in the parish of his residence, was one day accosted by the worthy
clergyman with the question, "My friend--to what church do you belong?" He
responded, "To the Church of England." "Ah," replied the pastor, "I was
sure that it must be some church _out of Wales_!" There are not a few
persons who speak the English language about as truly as the Caermarthon
Welshman attended the English Church!
FIVE HUNDRED MISTAKES CORRECTED.
1. "The business would suit any one who _enjoys bad health_." [From an
advertisement in a daily newspaper of New-York.] Few persons who have bad
health can be said to _enjoy it_. Use some other form of expression: as,
one _in delicate health_, or, one _whose health is bad_.
2. "We have no _corporeal_ punishment here," said a schoolmaster.
_Corporeal_ is opposed to _spiritual_. Say, _corporal_ punishment.
_Corporeal_ means having a body.
3. "She is a _notable_ woman," as was said of the wife of the Shepherd of
Salisbury Plain,--meaning _careful_, and pronounced as though divided
_not-able_. This word is no longer current, with this pronunciation or
signification, except to a slight extent in England. It has become
obsolete, and its use now is in bad taste.
4. "Insert the _advertisement_ in the Weekly." Emphasize _vert_, and not
_ise_.
5. "He _rose up_, and left the room:" leave out _up_, as it is absurd to
say _rise down_. The Irishman who was _hoisted down_ the coal pit, did not
observe this rule.
6. "_Set down_ and rest yourself:" say _sit down_; _setting_ is said of
the sun in the west, but cannot be properly applied to a person taking a
seat. "Sit _down_" is not improper, though "rise _up_" (as in No. 5)
should never be used. _Sitting down_ expresses the act of appropriating a
chair, while _sitting up_ means _sitting erect_. _Sitting up_ also refers
to watching during the night with the sick.
7. "You have _sown_ it very neatly," said a seamstress to her apprentice:
say _sewed_, and pronounce so as to rhyme with _road_. The pronunciation
of _sew_, meaning "to use the needle," violates its spelling; it is the
same as that of _sow_, meaning "to scatter seed."
8. "This is a secret between _you and I_:" say, _you and me_. The
construction requires the objective case in place of _I_, which is in the
nominative. It is in still better taste to say, "This is a secret _with_
you and me."
9. "Let _you and I_ take a walk:" say, Let _you and me_, or, _Let us_. Who
would think of saying, _Let I go_? The expression "Let _I and you_" is
frequently heard, which contains the additional impropriety of putting the
first person before the second.
10. "He is going to _learn his brother_ Alfred how to knit nets:" say,
_teach_. The act of _communicating_ instruction is expressed by
"teaching," the act of _receiving_ it by "learning." The distinction
between these words was made as early as the time of Shakespeare, and
cannot be violated without incurring censure.
11. "John and Henry both read well, but John is the _best_ reader:" say,
the _better_ reader, as _best_ can be properly used only when _three or
more persons_, or objects, are compared.
12. "Thompson was there _among the rest_." This mode of expression, which
is very common, literally declares an impossibility. The signification of
"the rest" is, those _in addition_ to Thompson, and of which Thompson
formed _no part_; he could not therefore be _among_ them. A more correct
form would be, "Thompson was there _with_ the rest."
13. "The _two first_ cows are the fattest," said a farmer at an
agricultural fair. He should have said, "the _first two_;" there can be
only _one_ that is _first_--the other must necessarily be _second_.
14. "It is an error; _you are mistaken_:" say, you _mistake_. _Mistaken_
means _misapprehended_; "you _mistake_," means "you _misapprehend_."
15. "Have you _lit_ the fire, Bridget?" say, _lighted_; _lit_ is now
obsolete.
16. "To be is an _auxiliary_ verb:" pronounce _auxiliary_ as though
spelled _awg-zil-ya-re_, and not in five syllables.
17. _February_: this word is often incorrectly spelled by omitting the
_r_.
18. The "_Miscellany_" was an interesting publication: pronounce
_miscellany_ with the accent on _mis_, and not on _cel_.
19. "_Celery_ is a pleasant vegetable:" pronounce _celery_ as it is
written, and not _salary_.
20. "Are you at _leisure_?" pronounce _lei_ in _leisure_ the same as
_lee_. The word should not rhyme with _measure_.
21. "John is my _oldest_ brother:" say, _eldest_. _Elder and eldest_ are
applied to _persons_--_older and oldest_ to _things_. Usage, however, does
not make these distinctions imperative.
22. "The cloth was _wove_ in a very short time:" say, _woven_.
23. "I prefer the _yolk_ of an egg to the white:" the more common word is
_yelk_, with the _l_ sounded; but if _yolk_ be used, it should be
pronounced like _yoke_.
24. _Sparrowgrass_: it is only the grossest ignorance which confounds this
word with _asparagus_. The same is the case with _ing-uns_ for _onions_. A
man in an obscure section of New Jersey, inquiring at a country store for
_onions_, was told that there were none in the place. On his going out,
the storekeeper turned to half a dozen idlers sitting round the stove, and
said, "I wonder if that 'tarnal fool meant _ing-uns_!"
25. "You are very _mischievous_:" pronounce _mischievous_ with the accent
on _mis_, and not on _chie_, and do not say _mischievious_
(_mis-cheev-yus_).
26. The following words were posted, as a sign, in a reading-room--"No
Talking Allowed;" which was designed to prohibit all conversation. A wag
altered the inscription so as to read, "No Talking Aloud," which (he
declared) did not prevent _whispering_, and chatting in _low tones_. What
shall be said of the following--"_No Smoking Aloud_?"
27. "_No extras or vacations_:" [from the prospectus of a schoolmistress:]
say, NOR _vacations_.
28. "He was never known to be _covetous_:" pronounce _covetous_ as if
written _covet us_, and _not covetyus_.
29. _The Three R.'s._--An ignorant and vain pedagogue, on being asked what
he could teach, replied, "The three R.'s--_'ritin'_, _'rethmetic_, and
_readin'_." Any persons among the readers of this little book, who may
chance to be schoolmasters, are warned against giving such a course of
instruction.
30. "Dearly _beloved_ brethren:" when _beloved_ is placed _before_ the
noun, as in this instance, pronounce it in three syllables; when placed
_after_, in two syllables, as, "She was much _be-loved_ by us all." When
used as a noun by itself, it is pronounced in three syllables; as,
"_Be-lov-ed_, let us love one another."
31. "Not _as I know_:" say, _that I know_.
32. "He came on purpose _for to do_ it:" omit _for_.
33. "He would never believe _but what_ I did it:" say, _but that_ I did
it.
34. "He is quite _as good as me_:" say, _as good as I_. Also, instead of
_as good as him_, say, _as good as he_. In both these instances _am_ or
_is_ must be mentally supplied at the end of the phrase, to suggest the
meaning; and the pronouns should, therefore, be in the nominative case.
35. "_Many an one_ has done the same:" say, _many a one_. _A_, and _not
an_, is also used before the _long sound of u_, that is, when _u_ forms _a
distinct syllable of itself_: as, _a unit_, _a union_, _a university_: it
is also used before _eu_: as, a _euphony_, and likewise before the word
_ewe_: as, _a ewe_: we should also say, _a youth_, not _an youth_.
36. "How do you like _these kind_ of pears?" say, _these kinds_; a noun in
the singular number will not allow its adjective to be in the plural.
37. "You should have _went_ home:" say, _gone_.
38. "John went with _James and I_:" say, _James and me_.
39. "I _see him_ last Monday:" say, _saw him_.
40. "He was _averse from_ such a proceeding:" say, _averse to_.
41. "Have you _shook_ the table-cloth?" say, _shaken_.
42. "I have _rang_ several times:" say, _rung_.
43. "I _know'd_ him at once:" say, _knew_.
44. "You have _drank_ too much of it:" say, _drunk_.
45. "He has _chose_ a very poor pattern:" say, _chosen_.
46. "They have _broke_ a window:" say, _broken_.
47. "I have just _began_ my letter:" say, _begun_.
48. "Give me _them books_:" say, _those books_.
49. "Whose are _these here books_?" say, _these books_. _Here_ is
superfluous and inelegant.
50. "_Who_ do you mean?" say, _whom_.
51. "The men _which_ we saw:" say, _whom_.
52. "The flowers _what_ you have:" say, _which_, or _that_.
53. "The boy _as is_ reading:" _who_ is reading.
54. "It was _them_ who did it:" say, _they_.
55. "_It is me_ who am in fault:" say, _It is I_.
56. "Was it _her_ who called me?" say, _she_.
57. "If I were _her_, I would accept his offer:" say, If I were _she_.
58. "He _has got_ my slate:" omit _got_; _has_ is sufficient for the
sense. The addition of _got_, though not ungrammatical, but gradually
becoming obsolete, does not in any degree strengthen the meaning.
59. "The pond is _froze_:" say, _frozen_.
60. "I know _I am him_ whom he meant:" say, _I am he_.
61. "You cannot _catch_ him:" pronounce _catch_ so as to rhyme with
_match_, and not _ketch_--as the fishermen are in the habit of saying.
62. "_Who done it?_" say, _Who did it?_
63. "The club gives an _impetus_ to the ball:" pronounce _impetus_ with
the stress on _im_, and not on _pe_.
64. "Spain and Portugal form a _peninsula_:" pronounce _pen-in-su-la_,
with the accent on _in_, and not on _su_.
65. _Sar-da-na-pa-lus_: pronounce it with the accent on _pa_, and not on
_ap_. The latter pronunciation cannot be changed for the former, without
incurring a gross error.
66. "He must by this time be almost as far as the _antipodes_:" pronounce
_antipodes_ with the accent on _tip_, and let _des_ rhyme with _ease_; it
is a word of _four_ syllables, and _not of three_.
67. _Vouchsafe_: a word seldom used, but when used, the first syllable
should rhyme with _pouch_; _never say vousafe_.
68. "The land in those parts is very _fertile_:" pronounce _fertile_ so as
to rhyme with _myrtle_. _Ile_ in such words must be sounded as _ill_, with
the exception of _exile_, _senile_, _gentile_, _reconcile_, and
_camomile_, in which _ile_ rhymes with _mile_.
69. _Benefited_: often spelt _benefitted_, but _incorrectly_.
70. "_Gather_ a few ears of corn for dinner:" pronounce _gather_ so as to
rhyme with _lather_, and _not gether_.
71. _Purpose and propose_: these two words, which are often confounded,
are entirely distinct in meaning. To _purpose_ means _to intend_; _to
propose_ means _to offer a proposition_.
72. _Directing and addressing letters_: _Directing_ designates the persons
to whom, and the place to which the letter, as a parcel, is to be sent;
_addressing_ refers to the individual to whom, as a communication, it is
written. A letter _addressed_ to the President, may be _directed_ to his
secretary.
73. "_Who_ do you think I saw yesterday?" say, _Whom_.
74. A popular proverb is expressed in the following language: "Of _two_
evils choose the _least_;" say, _the less_. Of no less than _three_ evils
can a person choose the _least_.
75. _Exaggerate_: pronounce _exad-gerate_, and _do not sound agger_ as in
_dagger_.
76. _Ladies School_: the _usual_ form, but _not correct_; write, _Ladies'
School_. The apostrophe (') is thus used after nouns in the plural, and
indicates _possession_. In the singular, it is placed _before the s_, as,
_The lady's school_.
77. The following equivocal notice is said to swing out on a sign-board
somewhere in the Western country: "SMITH & HUGGS--SELECT SCHOOL.--_Smith
teaches the boys, and Huggs the girls._" _Huggs needs correction!_
78. "He keeps a _chaise_:" pronounce it _shaze_, and not _shay_; it has a
regular plural, _chaises_.
79. "The _drought_ lasted a long time:" pronounce _drought_ so as to rhyme
with _sprout_, and not _drowth_.
80. "The two friends _conversed together_ for an hour:" omit _together_,
as the full meaning of this word is implied in _con_, which means _with_,
or _together_, or _in company_.
81. "The affair was _compromised_:" pronounce _compromised_ in three
syllables, and place the accent on _com_, sounding _mised_ like _prized_.
82. "A _steam-engine_:" pronounce _engine_ with _en_ as in _pen_, and _not
like in_; also, pronounce _gine_ like _gin_.
83. "Several of the trappers were massacred by the Indians:" pronounce
_massacred_ with the accent on _mas_, and _red_ like _erd_, as if
_massaker'd_; never say _massacreed_, which is abominable.
84. "The King of Israel and the King of Judah sat _either of them_ on his
throne:" say, _each of them_. _Either_ signifies the _one_ or the _other_,
but _not both_. _Each_ relates to _two or more objects_, and signifies
_both of the two_, or _every one of any number taken singly_. We can say,
"_either_ of the three," for "_one_ of the three."
85. "A _respite_ was granted the convict:" pronounce _respite_ with the
accent on _res_, and sound _pite_ as _pit_.
86. "He soon _returned back_:" leave out _back_, which is implied by _re_
in _returned_.
87. "The ship looked like a speck on the edge of the _horizon_:" pronounce
_horizon_ with the accent on _ri_, and not on _hor_, which is often the
case.
88. "They were early at the _sepulchre_:" pronounce _sepulchre_ with the
accent on _sep_, and not on the second syllable.
89. "I have often _swam_ across the Hudson:" say, _swum_.
90. "I found my friend better than I expected _to have found him_:" say,
_to find him_.
91. "I intended _to have written_ a letter yesterday:" say, _to write_; as
however long it now is since I thought of writing, "_to write_" was then
present to me, and must still be considered as present, when I recall that
time and the thoughts of it.
92. _Superfluous R's_: Many persons pronounce words which have no letter
_r_ in them, exactly as though they had; as _drawring_ for _drawing_; "I
_sawr_ Thomas," for "I _saw_," &c. Some who do not insert a full-toned
_r_, do worse by appending an _ah_ to almost every word they utter. They
would do well to recall the reproof which the excellent Rev. John Gruber
administered to a brother in the ministry, who was guilty of this habit.
That eccentric clergyman addressed a note to his friend, as follows:
"Dear-ah Sir-ah--When-ah you-ah speak-ah in-ah public-ah, take-ah my-ah
ad-ah-vice-ah and-ah never-ah say-ah _ah-ah_!--JOHN-AH GRUBER-AH."
93. _Shall_ and _will_ are often confounded, or misused. The following
suggestion will be of service to the reader: mere _futurity_ is expressed
by _shall_ in the _first_ person, and by _will_ in the _second_ and
_third_; the _determination_ of the speaker by _will_, in the _first_, and
_shall_, in the _second_ and _third_. For example: "_I shall go by the way
of Halifax_," simply expresses an event about to take place--as also _you
will_, and _they will_: _I will_ expresses determination--as also _you
shall_ and _they shall_. Brightland has the following illustrative stanza:
"In the first person simply _shall_ foretells;
In _will_ a threat, or else a promise, dwells.
_Shall_, in the second and the third, does threat;--
_Will_, simply, then, foretells the future feat."
94. "_Without_ the grammatical form of a word can be recognized at a
glance, little progress can be made in reading the language:" [from a work
on the study of the Latin language:] say, _Unless_ the grammatical, &c.
The use of _without_ for _unless_ is a very common mistake.
95. "He claimed admission to the _chiefest_ offices:" say, _chief_.
_Chief_, _right_, _supreme_, _correct_, _true_, _universal_, _perfect_,
_consummate_, _extreme_, _&c._, _imply_ the superlative degree without
adding _est_, or prefixing _most_. In language sublime or impassioned,
however, the word _perfect_ requires the superlative form, to give it its
fullest effect.
96. "I _had rather do_ it now:" say, I _would rather do_. The
incorrectness of the first form of expression is very clearly seen by
cutting out _rather_, leaving "_I had do_," which is ungrammatical and
meaningless.
97. An obituary notice contained the following ludicrous statement: "He
left a large circle of mourners, _embracing his amiable wife and
children_!" _Comprising_ should have been used, instead of _embracing_.
98. "His _court-of-arms_ is very splendid:" say, _coat-of-arms_.
99. "They ride about in small carriages, which are called _flies_:" write
the last word _flys_; _flies_ is the plural of _fly_, the insect.
100. "Victoria is Queen of the _United Kingdom_:" say, _United Kingdoms_.
Who ever speaks of the _United State of America_?
101. "I have not traveled _this twenty years_:" say, _these twenty years_.
102. "Soldier arms!" Say, "_Shoulder arms!_" The latter is frequently
corrupted into "_Sojer arms!_"
103. "He is _very much the gentleman_:" say, He is _a very gentlemanly
man_, or, _He is very gentlemanly_.
104. "The _yellow_ part of an egg is very nourishing:" never pronounce
_yellow_ so as to rhyme with _tallow_, as we so often hear.
105. "We are going to the _Zoological_ Gardens:" pronounce _Zoological_ in
_five_ syllables, and place the accent on _log_ in _logical_; sound _log_
like _lodge_, and _the first two o's in distinct syllables_; _never_ make
_Zool one_ syllable.
106. "He _strived_ to obtain an appointment:" say, _strove_.
107. "He always preaches _extempore_:" pronounce _extempore in four
syllables_, with the accent on _tem_, and _never in three_, making _pore_
to rhyme with _sore_--but with _story_.
108. "Allow me to _suggest_:" pronounce _sug_ as to rhyme with _mug_, and
_gest_ like _jest_; never say _sudjest_.
109. "That building is an _episcopal_ chapel:" pronounce _episcopal_ with
the accent on the second syllable, and _not_ on _co_.
110. "The Emperor of Russia is a _formidable_ sovereign:" pronounce
_formidable_ with the accent on _for_, and _not on mid_.
111. Before the words _heir_, _herb_, _honest_, _honor_, and _hour_, and
their compounds, instead of the article _a_, we make use of _an_, as the
_h_ is not sounded; likewise before words beginning with _h_, that are not
accented on the first syllable: such as _heroic_, _historical_,
_hypothesis_, &c., as, "_an heroic action_;" "_an historical work_;" "_an
hypothesis_ that can scarcely be allowed." The letter _h_ is seldom mute
at the beginning of a word; but from the negligence of tutors, and the
inattention of pupils, many persons have become almost incapable of
acquiring its just and full pronunciation. It is, therefore, incumbent on
teachers to be particularly careful to inculcate a clear and distinct
utterance of this sound.
112. "He was _such an extravagant young man_, that he soon spent his whole
patrimony." This construction, which is much used, is not so elegant as,
"He was _so extravagant a young man_," &c.
113. "The girl speaks _distinct_:" say, _distinctly_. _Never use
Adjectives as Adverbs._
114. "The accident of which he was _reading_, occurred not far from
_Reading_:" pronounced the first italicized word to rhyme with _feeding_,
and the other, with _wedding_.
115. The combination of letters _ough_ is pronounced in eight different
ways, as follows: 1. Th_ough_, in which it is pronounced _o_; 2.
Thr_ough_, pronounced _oo_; 3. Pl_ough_, _ow_; 4. S_ought_, _awe_; 5.
C_ough_, _off_; 6. R_ough_, _uff_; 7. Bor_ough_, _ugh_; 8. L_ough_, _ok_.
The following sentence, which is of doubtful authorship, affords an
example of each of these eight modes of pronunciation: "I put (1) _dough_
(6) _enough_ in the (5) _trough_ near the (3) _slough_ by the (8) _lough_,
to last the ducks that I (4) _bought_ at the (7) _borough_ (2) _through_
the day."
116. "I saw his _august_ majesty, the Emperor of Hayti, last _August_:"
pronounce the former word with the accent on _gust_; the latter, on _Au_.
117. "She is _quite the lady_:" say, She is _very lady-like in her
demeanor_.
118. "He is _seldom or ever_ out of town:" say, _seldom or never_, or,
_seldom if ever_.
119. "We _laid down_ to sleep:" say, we _lay down_, &c. We can say,
however, "we laid _him_ down to sleep."
120. It is somewhat singular, that while _tie_ and _untie_ convey meanings
directly opposite, _loose_ and _unloose_ signify precisely the same thing.
_Loose_ is the original word, and _unloose_ is a corruption; both words,
however, are now sanctioned by good usage, and may be indiscriminately
employed, without offence against propriety.
121. "It is dangerous to walk _of a_ slippery morning:" say, _on a_
slippery morning. But the expression, "_walking on a slippery morning_,"
and all others like it, of which a strictly literal interpretation will
not give the designed signification, are to be avoided. They often excite
a smile when seriousness is intended.
122. "He who makes himself famous by his eloquence, makes illustrious his
origin, let it be _never so mean_:" say, _ever so mean_. The practice of
using _never_ in such phrases was anciently in vogue, but is now becoming
obsolete. (See Introduction.)
123. "His reputation is acknowledged _through_ Europe:" say, _throughout_
Europe.
124. "The bank of the river is frequently _overflown_:" say, _overflowed_.
_Flown_ is the perfect participle of _fly, flying_; _flowed_, of _flow,
flowing_.
125. "I doubt _if this_ will ever reach you:" say, _whether this_, &c.
126. "It is not improbable _but I may_ be able to procure you a copy:"
say, _that I may_, &c.
127. "He was _exceeding kind_ to me:" say, _exceedingly kind_.
128. "I doubt not _but I shall_ be able:" say, _that I shall_.
129. "I lost _near_ twenty pounds:" say, _nearly_, or _almost_.
130. "There were not _over_ twenty persons present:" say, _more than_.
Such a use of this word is not frequent among writers of reputation. It
may, however, be less improperly employed, where the sense invests it with
more of a semblance to its literal signification: as, "This pair of
chickens will weigh _over_ seven pounds." Even in this case, it is better
to say _more than_.
131. "_Bills are requested to be paid quarterly_:" _the bills are not
requested_, but _the persons who owe them_. Say instead, _It is requested
that bills be paid quarterly_.
132. "There can be no doubt _but that_ he will succeed:" omit _but_.
133. "It was _no use asking_ him any more questions:" say, _of no use to
ask him_, or _there was no use in asking_, &c.
134. "The Americans said they _had no right_ to pay taxes." [From a Fourth
of July Oration.] They certainly _had a right_ to pay them, if they
wished. What the speaker meant was, _they were under no obligation to
pay_, or, _they were not bound to pay_.
135. "He intends to _stop_ at home for a few days:" it is more elegant to
say _stay_. If the time, however, should be very brief, _stop_ would
better express the idea; as, "We _stopped_ at Elmira about twenty
minutes."
136. "At this time, I _grew_ my own corn:" say, I _raised_. Farmers have
made this innovation against good taste; but for what reason, it is not
apparent; there seems to be no sufficient occasion for so awkward a
substitute for _raised_.
137. "Having incautiously _laid down_ on the damp grass, he caught a
severe cold:" say, _lain down_.
138. "We suffered no other inconvenience _but_ that arising from the
rain:" say, _than_ that, &c. _But_, to be properly used in this sentence,
would require the omission of _other_.
139. "Brutus and Aruns killed _one another_:" say, _each other_, which is
more proper. But many similar instances which occur in the New Testament,
as, "_Beloved, love one another_," and others no less beautiful and
cherished, have rendered this form of expression common, and almost
unexceptionable.
140. In a recently issued work on Arithmetic, the following is given: "If
for 72 cents I can buy 9 lbs. of raisins, _how much_ can I purchase for
$14 49?" say, "_what quantity_ can I," &c. Who would think of saying,
"_how much raisins?_"
141. WORDS TO BE CAREFULLY DISTINGUISHED.--Be very careful to distinguish
between _indite_ and _indict_ (the former meaning _to write_, and the
latter _to accuse_); _key_ and _quay_; _principle_ and _principal_;
_marshal_ and _martial_; _counsel_ and _council_; _counsellor_ and
_councillor_; _fort_ and _forte_; _draft_ and _draught_; _place_ and
_plaice_ (the latter being the name of a _fish_); _stake_ and _steak_;
_satire_ and _satyr_; _stationery_ and _stationary_; _ton_ and _tun_;
_levy_ and _levee_; _foment_ and _ferment_; _fomentation_ and
_fermentation_; _petition_ and _partition_; _Francis_ and _Frances_;
_dose_ and _doze_; _diverse_ and _divers_; _device_ and _devise_; _wary_
and _weary_; _salary_ and _celery_; _radish_ and _reddish_; _treble_ and
_triple_; _broach_ and _brooch_; _ingenious_ and _ingenuous_; _prophesy_
and _prophecy_ (some clergymen sounding the final syllable of the latter
word _long_, like the former); _fondling_ and _foundling_; _lightning_ and
_lightening_; _genus_ and _genius_; _desert_ and _dessert_; _currier_ and
_courier_; _pillow_ and _pillar_; _executer_ and _executor_ (the former
being the regular noun from the verb "to _execute_," and the latter a
strictly _legal_ term); _ridicule_ and _reticule_; _lineament_ and
_liniment_; _track_ and _tract_, _lickerish_ and _licorice_ (_lickerish_
signifying _dainty_, and _licorice_ being a plant, or preparation from
it); _statute_ and _statue_; _ordinance_ and _ordnance_; _lease_ and
_leash_; _recourse_ and _resource_; _straight_ and _strait_ (_straight_
meaning _direct_, and _strait_, _narrow_); _immerge_ and _emerge_; _style_
and _stile_; _compliment_ and _complement_; _bass_ and _base_;
_contagious_ and _contiguous_; _eminent_ and _imminent_; _eruption_ and
_irruption_; _precedent_ and _president_; _relic_ and _relict_.
142. "The number of _emigrants_ arriving in this country is increasing and
alarming:" say, _immigrants_. _Emigrants_ are those _going out_ from a
country; _immigrants_, those _coming into_ it.
143. "I prefer _radishes_ to _cucumbers_:" pronounce _radishes_ exactly
as spelt, and not _redishes_; also, the first syllable of _cucumber_ like
_fu_ in _fuel_, and not as if the word were spelled _cowcumber_.
144. "The _two last_ letters were dated from Calcutta:" say, the _last
two_, &c.
145. "The soil in those islands is so very thin, that little is produced
in them _beside_ cocoa-nut trees:" "_beside_ cocoa-nut trees" means
strictly _alongside_, or _by the side_, of them. _Besides_, or _except_,
should be used. _Besides_ also signifies _in addition to_: as, "I sat
_beside_ the President, and conversed with him _besides_."
146. "He could neither _read nor write_:" say, more properly, _write nor
read_. All persons who can _write_ can _read_, but not all who _read_ can
_write_. This sentence, as corrected, is much stronger than in the other
form.
147. "He was _bred and born_ among the hills of the Hudson:" say, _born
and bred_, which is the natural order.
148. "THIS HOUSE TO LET:" more properly, _to be let_.
149. _Here_, _there_, _where_, with verbs of motion, are generally better
than _hither_, _thither_, _whither_; as, "_Come here_; _Go there_."
_Hither_, _thither_, and _whither_, which were used formerly, are now
considered stiff and inelegant.
150. "_As far as I_ am able to judge, the book is well written:" say, _So
far as_, &c.
151. "It is doubtful whether he will act _fairly or no_:" say, _fairly or
not_.
152. "The _camelopard_ is the tallest of known animals:" pronounce
_camelopard_ with the accent on _mel_; never say _camel leopard_. Few
words, by being mispronounced, occasion greater blunders than this term.
153. "He ran _again_ me;" or, "I stood _again_ the hydrant:" say,
_against_. This word is frequently and inelegantly abbreviated, in
pronunciation, into _agin_.
154. "_No one_ should incur censure for being careful of _their_ good
character:" say, of _his_ (or _her_).
155. "The yacht capsized in rounding the stake-boat, and the helmsman was
_drownded_:" say, _drowned_.
156. "_Jalap_ will be of service to you:" pronounce the word as it is
spelled, never saying _jollop_.
157. The word _curiosity_, though a very common term, and one that should
be correctly pronounced by everybody, is frequently called _curosity_.
158. "He has just set out to _take a tour_:" pronounce _tour_ so as to
rhyme with _poor_. Be careful to avoid saying, _take a tower_; such a
pronunciation might suggest the Mamelon, instead of a trip of travel.
159. "The storm _is_ ceased, and the sky is clear:" say, _has_ ceased.
160. "Do you know _who_ this dog-headed cane belongs to?" say, _whom_. In
expressing in _writing_ the idea conveyed in this question, a better form
of sentence would be, "Do you know _to whom_ this belongs?" In familiar
conversation, however, the latter mode might be thought too formal and
precise.
161. "_Who_ did you wish to see?" say, _whom_.
162. "_Whom_ say ye that I am?" This is the English translation, given in
Luke ix. 20, of the question of Christ to Peter. The word _whom_ should be
_who_. Other instances of grammatical inaccuracies occur in the Bible; for
example, in the Sermon on the Mount, the Saviour says: "Lay not up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where _moth and rust doth corrupt_," &c.
"_Moth and rust_" make a plural nominative to "_doth_ corrupt," a singular
verb. The following, however, is correct: "But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where _neither moth nor rust doth corrupt_."
163. The word _chimney_ is sometimes called incorrectly _chimley_ and
_chimbley_.
164. "I was walking _towards_ home:" pronounce _towards_ so as to rhyme
with _boards_; _never_ say, _to-wards_.
165. "A _courier_ is expected from Washington:" pronounce _cou_ in
_courier_ so as to rhyme with _too_, never like _currier_; the two words
have entirely distinct significations.
166. "Let each of us mind _their_ own business:" say, _his_ own business.
167. "Who made that noise? Not _me_:" say, Not _I_.
168. "Is this or that the _best_ road?" say, the _better_ road.
169. "_Rinse_ your mouth:" pronounce _rinse_ as it is written, and never
_rense_. "_Rench your mouth_," said a fashionable dentist one day to a
patient. "You have already _wrenched it for me_," was the reply.