Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1875 — An English Journal on “American English.” [ARTICLE]

An English Journal on “American English.”

Chambers' Journal, in an article on 14 American English,” dilates upon our national tendency to coin new words usd utter quaint and extravagant phraeee. "Newwords,” it says, “are formed every day; when the American has seized upon an expressive word-he works it into half a dozen forms and secures it a currency in two or three parts of speech. From the verbs to walk, to sing, etc., we get walkist, singist, shootlst and half a dozen others formed like pianist and linguist. Not satisfied with this last word American sailors have lengthened it into ‘linguister,’ an interpreter. Then we have such words as * to overture,’ which means to propose; I to donate,’ for to giye a donation; and 4 to eventuate,’ for to happen. To 4 disremember’ is to forget, and to 4 out a candle’ is to extinguish it. The love for abbreviation has produced such forms as 4 to rail,* for to travel by rail; and to ‘cable’ news, meaning to send a ‘cablegram,’ or, as we should say, a message by Atlantic cable. Many words have nothing to recommend them hilt a strange sound, as, for instance, 4 splurge,’ a noisy demonstration, whence the verb‘to splurge,’ meaning to boast and swagger; and then the adjective 4 splurging,’and the adverb ‘splurgingly.’ 4 Merit always makes its way,’ says a transatlantic editor; 4 sometimes quickly, often slowly, but never splurgingly' —a remark in which we most heartily concur.” It informs the reader that a tendency for violent expressions appears in our daily speech. “A man is attacked and completely defeated in the Legislature, and this is reported by saying that he has been 4 catawamptiously chawed up.’ 4 1 don’t want to swear,’ says a conscientious man, 4 ’cos it’s wicked; but if I didn’t see him do it may I be teetotaciously chawed up!’ There aie many expressions like the last, for the American seldom swears outright, but generally has recourse to those half-dis-guised phrases which a famous New York preacher once denounced as ‘one-horse oaths.’ ”