Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1882 — A Question of Words. [ARTICLE]

A Question of Words.

Should we say and write “railroad* or “railway?" A road, the dictionary informs -us, is a place where one may ride, an open way, a track for travel. A way is a generic thing (on the same authority), denoting any line for passage or convenience. A highway was originally a way raised above the level for dryness. A road, says the dictionary, is strictly a way for horses and carriages. In this country, and, apEarently, in England, judging by “the ling's highway”—the word “high" has come to have the significance of “open* and “public,” and when we speak of being “on the highway" we mean on the public and common road. But when we say “in my way” (very rarely “road" in such a sense), there appears to be a common recognition of “way” as the more generic word. But in use without a compounding word, “way" is rarely applied in the same sense as “road” thus, we do not speak of Walking or riding, “along the way;" we say “right of way,” not “road;" nor is “road” used except in “railroad," which is tho American term, as “railway" is the English. A few roads—we do hot say “ways"— which have English ownership or close connection, such as Erie and Atlantic and Great Western, are, officially, railways, and this term is probably making its “way” slowl>v It has, however, at least the comparative disadvantage that, as yet, we are not accustomed to “ways" as 6hort for railways, or to speak of the “waybed ;* on the other hand “way" has an advantage in not being used to designate instruments of passage by ordinary vehicles. Some other English terms are better than our own ; for example, “share" is better than ‘stock,” the latter havipg several usos. The English “coach," on rails, was obtained by transfer of word as well M article, but it is less expresive than our “car.” So “stoker," although correct, is rather less idiomatic than “fireman,” whicli is made by the same process with which children turn the gray-coated “carrier" - into “letterman." The English “point* is'certainly better than our “switch,” and “driver,” which in this country is short for the large wheel when used in connection with locomotives, is more exact than “engineer,” who is not much more than an engine-driver. “Metals” would sound strange here as tho designation of iron rails, and “line" would hardly escape detection as foreign, in use for the “road" or “way.” There is, however, an English term so expressive, as applied to capital fixed in railways and manufacturing ‘enterprise*, that it would be well to naturalize it—the word “plant.” Such capital may or may not prove fruitful; yet all the same it Is withdrawn—planted. —New York Times. The Rev. Phi Hi- liooks is sal * *t» be the first American .who has preached in Westminster Abbey before the Virginia creepenrate being planted by the‘Pennsylvania Railroad company on the hillsides along the tracka It is done to prevent lana-slidee, and will add greatly to the beauty or the scenery.