Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1884 — British Notions on Americanisms. [ARTICLE]

British Notions on Americanisms.

The whole question of American-j isms Would form tho subject of an interesting and lengthened article, and might be expanded into an essay, for the people of the United States have a marvellous fafculty of inventing phrases for colloquial use. It must also be said that they acquire the habit of employing good old English words in a sense alien to their original meaning. ‘ Clever," for example, has come to be employed iu the sense of “smart,” so as to deceive and defraud; and “cunning” is often used in the worst sense, although young ladies, by way of express- 1 ing admiration of some pretty object or contrivance, will say : “It is real cunning,” or “It is too cunning for anything.” The word “elegant” is sometimes applied to describe the weather or a dish at table, and it will be said that “it is elegant eating;” although, in justice to American proprieties, it must be owned that such an employment of the word is not general. But kind wishes for one about to go on a journey or to a party of pleasure are conveyed by the expression that he may have “a real good time,” or “a good high time;” while gushing girls sum up their sensei of enjoyment in the phrase “perfectly splendid,” or, if the catalogue of eulogy seems exhausted, they will affirm that such a one or such an object is “too good for anything.” If a listener fails to catch the meaning, the probability is that he will interject the inquiry, “How?” or if ho desires to express mingled suprise and delight, he will remark, “Is that so?” Peyliaps he will remark at the conclusion of a statement, “Now, I want to know,” meaning thereby that he has gained the information from what he has been told, or he may vary the phrase by saying, “Dew tell.” Of course it is not meant that all these colloquialisms and many others which might be quoted are used by all classes and in every locality. Some of them are restricted to places and persons, and are as provincial as the dialects and terms common in Yorkshire or Somerset. A NewEnglander, a western man, or a southerner can usually be detected by certain expressions, and much innocent fun is often got out of these. In some respects Americans may be said to use English prepositions with special accuracy. They speak of a house being “on the street,” or of meeting a person on, instead of in the street. A letter in a newspaper appears “over” a certain signiture. A visit is made “to the sea shore,” not to the sea side. The railway is always called the railroad, and the line of rails is the “track.” ,A shop is designated a “store,” and different kinds of vehicles are denoted by “horse cars” and “steam cars.” Bailway termini or stations are styled “depots,” the guard of a train is a “conductor.” And so on to any extent. — The Non Conformist.