Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1876 — Use Good English. [ARTICLE]

Use Good English.

A great dttal depend! on early habit*, and correct language learned in early lite is easily oontinued ever afterward, W lieuDion aiul repeat it to thomiolvfli A number of times, and in this way it will soon become easy and natural. Without tuck repetition in use they will certainly failEverything in life depends on a gi>od use of English; and on the other hand, nothing will retard successful progress In lifesooner than bad English, bad pronunciatian and slang words. Edward .Everett said, “ to read the English language well, to write a neat legible hand, and to be. master of the first four rules of arithmetic —I call this a good education. And if' you add the ability to write pure grammatical English, I regard it as an excellent education.” Now, tp correct errors and establish a Sood practice, the work must be taken in etuil. Due thing must be taken at a time. One of the first steps then, is to use simple language to express just what we want to say. There are several words often improperly used for many different meanings, and In this way they lose their force. Take for example the word fx — the strict meaning of which is to make fast, \o settle. But it is improperly used in many oilier ways, as “ I flxed.my hair, I fixed the wagon, I fixed my gloves, I fixed the room,” etc.; instead of “I brushed my hair, I repaired my wagon. I sewed my gloves, I put my room in order” etc. Another word used still more loosely and widely, is “ »tce." This properly means, oner exact; punctilioussubtle. 1 But it is often employed to denote all commendable qualities. We often hear careless speakers say, “this apple is nice," instead of delicious; “ she is a nice girl,” instead of good or agreeable; “ a nice landscape,” for a lonely landscape; “ a nice cottage,” instead of a tmu; one; “a nice man,” instead of a genial man; “ a nice mountain," instead of a grand or lofty one; “ a nice drink of water,” for a refreshing one; “ a nice Btory,” instead of an interesting one; “ a nice smell” to a flower, for a pleasant odor • -and—ao.-oa-

: vnffi6iFTimn: "St3ffir'ps¥sohß took nice, walk nice, talk nice, make a nice visit, write a nice letter, live in a nice house, wear nice clothes, make a nice present,, make a nice fortune, etc. Again—the word “ awful," which means dreadful, fearful, or sublime, is used as a general adjective for nearly all purposes, both good and bad, by those whocannot select separate and appropriate adjectives for each separate purpose, and we accordingly hear of an awfbl dull knife, an awful nice day, an awful good pear, and an awful old hat, an awful pretty girl, etc. Another word—got—is used profusely by some speakers. Some of our readers have perhaps heard the man’s narration — “ after I got your letter, I got on horseback, and when I got to Boston I got a carriage, but I got wet before I got to the office; and I got such a cold as I ean’t_ get rid of; I got to the barber's before noon and got shaved, and then I got the news that I should get the answer when I got back. When I got through, I got to the hotel to get my supper, and then got to bed, but It was long before I got to sleep. When I got up in the morning and got my breakfast, I got to the cars. I got home before night." To avoid all such inelegancies, or to correct them when they have become & habit, repeat to yourself the correction, and continue to repeat to yourself the correction, and continue to repeat it till it becomes ready and familiar injuse, In this way young persons may acquire the habit of using the best language, and the longer it is continued, the more easy and natural it will become. Always select the shortest and simplest words, and those which convey distinctly the intended meaning. All this will require attention and pains—without which nothing is ever accomplished.—Country Gentleman.