MISTAKES AND IMPROPRIETIES
IN SPEAKING AND WRITING CORRECTED.
1. Have you learned French yet? say learnt, as learned is now used only as an adjective,—as, a learned man. Pronounce learned in two syllables.
2. The business would suit any one who enjoys bad health [from an advertisement in a London newspaper]; say, any one in a delicate state of health, or, whose health is but indifferent.
3. "We have no corporeal punishment here," said a schoolmaster once to the author of this little work. Corporeal is opposed to spiritual; say, corporal punishment. Corporeal means having a body. The Almighty is not a corporeal being, but a spirit, as St. John tells us.
4. That was a notable circumstance. Pronounce the first syllable of notable as no in notion. Mrs. Johnson is a notable housewife; that is to say, careful. Pronounce the first syllable of notable as not in Nottingham.
5. Put an advertisement in the "Times." Pronounce advertisement with the accent on ver, and not on tise.
6. He rose up and left the room; leave out up.
7. You have sown it very badly; say, sewed it.
8. Mr. Dupont learnt me French; say, taught. The master teaches, but the pupil learns.
9. John and Henry both read well, but John is the best reader; say, the better reader, as best can only be said when three or more persons or objects are compared.
10. The two first pupils I had; say, the first two.
11. He has mistook his true interest; say, mistaken.
12. Have you lit the fire, Mary? say, lighted.
13. The doctor has not yet came; say, has not yet come.
14. I have always gave him good advice; say, given.
15. To be is an auxiliary verb. Pronounce auxiliary in five syllables, sounding the second i, and not in four, as we so frequently hear it.
16. Celery is a pleasant edible; pronounce celery as it is written, and not salary.
17. Are you at leisure? pronounce lei in leisure the same as Lei in Leith, and not so as to rhyme with measure.
18. Have you seen the Miss Browns lately? say, the Misses Brown.
19. You have soon forgot my kindness; say, forgotten.
20. He keeps his coach; say, his carriage.
21. John is my oldest brother; say, eldest. Elder and eldest are applied to persons,—older and oldest to things.
22. Disputes have frequently arose on that subject; say, arisen.
23. The cloth was wove in a very short time; say, woven.
24. French is spoke in every state in Europe; say, spoken.
25. He writes as the best authors would have wrote, had they writ on the same subject; say, would have written,—had they written.
26. I prefer the yolk of an egg to the white; say, yelk, and sound the l.
27. He is now very decrepid; say, decrepit.
28. I am very fond of sparrowgrass; say, asparagus, and pronounce it with the accent on par.
29. You are very mischievous. Pronounce mischievous with the accent on mis, and not on chie, and do not say mischievious.
30. It was very acceptable. Pronounce acceptable with the accent on cept, and not on ac, as we so often hear it.
31. "No conversation be permitted in the Reading Room to the interruption of the company present. Neither Smoking or Refreshments allowed" [from the prospectus of a "Literary and Scientific Institution">[; insert can after conversation, and say, neither smoking nor refreshments.
32. No extras or vacations[from the prospectus of a schoolmistress near London]; say, neither extras nor vacations.
33. He is very covetous. Pronounce covetous as if it were written covet us, and not covetyus, as is almost universally the case.
34. I intend to summons him; say, summon. Summons is a noun, and not a verb.
35. Dearly beloved brethren. Pronounce beloved in three syllables, and never in two, as some clergymen do.
36. He is now forsook by every one; say, forsaken.
37. Not as I know; say, that I know.
38. He came for to do it; leave out for.
39. They have just rose from the table; say, risen.
40. He is quite as good as me; say, as good as I.
41. Many an one has done the same; say, many a one. A, and not an, is used before the long sound of u, that is to say, when u forms a distinct syllable of itself, as, a unit, 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.
42. Many people think so; say, many persons, as people means a nation.
43. "When our ships sail among the people of the Eastern islands, those people do not ask for gold,—'iron! iron!' is the call." [From a work by a peer of literary celebrity.] Say, among the inhabitants; and, instead of those people, which is ungrammatical, say, those persons.
44. Was you reading just now? say, were you.
45. I have not had no dinner yet; say, I have had no dinner yet, or, I have not yet had my dinner, or, any dinner.
46. She will never be no taller; say, she will never be taller, or, she will never be any taller.
47. I see him last Monday; say, saw him.
48. He was averse from such a proceeding; say, averse to.
49. He has wore his boots three months; say, worn.
50. He has trod on my toes; say, trodden.
51. Have you shook the cloth? say, shaken.
52. I have rang several times; say, rung.
53. I knowed him at once; say, knew.
54. He has growed very much; say, grown.
55. George has fell down stairs; say, fallen.
56. He has chose a very poor pattern; say, chosen.
57. They have broke a window; say, broken.
58. Give me them books; say, those books.
59. My brother gave me them there pictures; say, gave me those pictures.
60. Whose are these here books? say, these books.
61. The men which we saw; say, whom.
62. The books what you have; say, which, or that.
63. The boy as is reading; say, who is reading.
64. The pond is froze; say, frozen.
65. He has took my slate; say, taken.
66. He has often stole money from him; say, stolen.
67. They have drove very fast; say, driven.
68. I have rode many miles to-day; say, ridden.
69. You cannot catch him; pronounce catch so as to rhyme with match, and not ketch.
70. Who has got my slate? leave out got.
71. What are you doing of? leave out of.
72. If I was rich I would buy a carriage; say, If I were.
73. We have all within us an impetus to sin; pronounce impetus with the accent on im, and not on pe, as is very often the case.
74. He may go to the antipodes for what I care; pronounce antipodes with the accent on tip, and let des rhyme with ease. It is a word of four syllables, and not of three, as many persons make it.
75. Vouchsafe, a word seldom used, but, when used, the first syllable should rhyme with pouch. Never say, vousafe.
76. Ginger is a good stomachic; pronounce stomachic with the accent on mach, sounding this syllable mak, and not mat, as is often the case.
77. The land in those parts is very fertile; pronounce fertile so as to rhyme with pill. The ile in all words must be sounded ill, with the exception of exile, senile, gentile, reconcile, and camomile, in which ile rhymes with mile.
78. It is surprising the fatigue he undergoes; say, The fatigue he undergoes is surprising.
79. Benefited; often spelt benefitted, but incorrectly.
80. Gather up the fragments; pronounce gather so as to rhyme with lather, and not gether.
81. I propose going to town next week; say, purpose.
82. If I am not mistaken, you are in the wrong; say, If I mistake not.
83. Direct your letters to me at Mr. Jones's; say, Address your letters.
84. Wales is a very mountainious country; say, mountainous, and place the accent on moun.
85. Of two evils choose the least; say, the less.
86. Exag'gerate; pronounce exad'gerate, and do not sound agger as in the word dagger, which is a very common mistake.
87. He knows little or nothing of Latin; say, little, if anything, of Latin.
88. He keeps a chaise; pronounce it shaise, and not shay. It has a regular plural, chaises.
88. The drought lasted a long time; pronounce drought so as to rhyme with snout, and not drowth.
90. The man was hung last week; say, hanged; but say, I am fond of hung beef. Hang, to take away life by hanging, is a regular verb.
91. We conversed together on the subject; leave out together, as it is implied in conversed, con being equivalent to with, that is to say, We talked with each other, &c.
92. The affair was compromised; pronounce compromised in three syllables, and place the accent on com, sounding mised like prized. The word has nothing to do with promised. The noun compromise is accented like compromised, but mise must be pronounced mice.
93. A steam-engine; pronounce engine with en as in pen, and not like in, and gine like gin.
94. Numbers were massacred; pronounce massacred with the accent on mas, and red like erd, as if mas'saker'd, never mas'sacreed.
95. 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. Never say "either of the three," but "each or any one of the three."
96. A respite was granted the convict; pronounce respite with the accent on res, and sound pite as pit.
97. He soon returned back; leave out back, which is implied by re in returned.
98. The horizon is the line that terminates the view; pronounce horizon with the accent on ri, and not on ho.
99. She has sang remarkably well; say, sung.
100. He had sank before assistance arrived; say, sunk.
101. I have often swam across the Tyne; say, swum.
102. I found my friend better than I expected to have found him; say, to find him.
103. 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 bring back that time and the thoughts of it.
104. His death shall be long regretted [from a notice of a death in a newspaper]; say, will be long, &c. Shall and will are often confounded; the following rule, however, may be of use 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; as, I will go to-morrow, I shall go to-morrow. N. B. The latter sentence simply expresses a future event; the former expresses my determination.
105. "Without the grammatical form of a word can be recognized at a glance, little progress can be made in reading the language" [from a very popular work on the study of the Latin language]; say, Unless the grammatical, &c. The use of without for unless is a very common mistake.
106. Have you begun substraction yet? say, subtraction.
107. He claimed admission to the chiefest offices; say, chief. Chief, right, supreme, correct, true, universal, perfect, consummate, extreme, &c., imply the superlative degree without est or most. In language sublime or impassioned, however, the word perfect requires the superlative form to give it effect. A lover, enraptured with his mistress, would naturally call her the most perfect of her sex.
108. The ship had sprang a leak; say, sprung.
109. I had rather do it now; say, I would rather.
110. He was served with a subpœna; pronounce subpœna with the accent on pœ, which you will sound like tea, and sound the b distinctly. Never pronounce the word soopee'na.
111. I have not travelled this twenty years; say, these twenty years.
112. He is very much the gentleman; say, He is a very gentlemanly man, or fellow.
113. The yellow part of an egg is very nourishing; never pronounce yellow like tallow, which we so often hear.
114. 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.
115. He always preaches extempore; pronounce extempore in four syllables, with the accent on tem, and never in three, making pore to rhyme with sore.
116. Naught and aught; never spell these words nought and ought. There is no such word as nought, and ought is a verb.
117. Allow me to suggest; pronounce sug so as to rhyme with mug, and gest like jest. Never sudjest.
118. The Emperor of Russia is a formidable personage; pronounce formidable with the accent on for, and not on mid, as is often the case.
119. Before the words heir, herb, honest, honor, hostler, hour, humble, and humor, 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. N. B. 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.
120. He was such an extravagant young man that he soon spent his whole patrimony; say, so extravagant a young man.
121. I saw the slough of a snake; pronounce slough so as to rhyme with rough.
122. She is quite the lady; say, She is very lady-like in her demeanor.
123. He is seldom or ever out of town; say, seldom, if ever, out of town.
124. Death unloosed his chains; say, loosed his chains.
125. It is dangerous to walk of a slippery morning; say, on a slippery morning.
126. He who makes himself famous by his eloquence, illustrates his origin, let it be never so mean; say, ever so mean.
127. His fame is acknowledged through Europe; say, throughout Europe.
128. The bank of the river is frequently overflown; say, overflowed.
129. Previous to my leaving England I called on his lordship; say, previously to my leaving, &c.
130. I doubt if this will ever reach you; say, whether this, &c.
131. He was exceeding kind to me; say, exceedingly kind.
132. I lost near twenty pounds; say, nearly.
133. Bills are requested to be paid quarterly; say, It is requested that bills be paid quarterly.
134. It was no use asking him any more questions; say, of no use to ask him, &c.
135. The Americans said they had no right to pay taxes; say, they were under no obligation to pay, &c.
136. I throwed my box away, and never took no more snuff; say, I threw, &c., and took snuff no more.
137. She was endowed with an exquisite taste for music; say, endued with, &c.
138. I intend to stop at home; say, to stay.
139. At this time I grew my own corn; say, I raised, &c.
140. He was no sooner departed than they expelled his officers; say, he had no sooner, &c.
141. He was now retired from public business; say, had now retired, &c.
142. They were embarked in a common cause; say, had embarked, &c.
143. Hostilities were now become habitual; say, had now become.
144. Brutus and Aruns killed one another; say, each other.
145. Pray, sir, who may you be? say, who are you?
146. Their character as a warlike people is much degenerated; say, has much, &c.
147. He is gone on an errand; pronounce errand as it is written, and not arrant.
148. In a popular work on arithmetic we find the following sum,—"If for 7s. 8d., I can buy 9 lbs. of raisins, how much can I purchase for £56 16s.?" say, "what quantity can I," &c. Who would think of saying "how much raisins?"
149. Be very careful in distinguishing between indite and indict; key and quay; principle and principal; check and cheque; marshal and martial; counsel and council; counsellor and councillor; fort and forte; draft and draught; place and plaice; stake and steak; satire and satyr; stationery and stationary; ton and tun; levy and levee; foment and ferment; fomentation and fermentation; petition and partition; practice and practise; 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; fondling and foundling; lightning and lightening; genus and genius; desert and dessert; currier and courier; pillow and pillar; executer and executor; suit and suite; ridicule and reticule; lineament and liniment; track and tract; lickerish and licorice; statute and statue; ordinance and ordnance; lease and leash; recourse and resource; straight and strait; 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.
150. I prefer radishes to cucumbers; pronounce radishes exactly as it is spelt, and not redishes, and the u in the first syllable of cucumber as in fuel, and not as if the word were cowcumber.
151. Never pronounce barbarous and grievous, bartarious and grievious.
152. The two last chapters are very interesting; say, The last two, &c.
153. The soil on these islands is so very thin, that little vegetation is produced upon them beside cocoanut trees; say, with the exception of, &c.
154. He restored it back to the owner; leave out back.
155. Here, there, where, are generally better than hither, thither, whither, with verbs of motion; as, Come here, Go there. N. B. Hither, thither, and whither, which were formerly used, are now considered stiff and inelegant.
156. As far as I am able to judge, the book is well written; say, So far as, &c.
157. It is doubtful whether he will play fairly or no; say, fairly or not.
158. "The Pilgrim's Progress;" pronounce progress, prog-ress, not pro-gress.
159. He is a boy of a great spirit; pronounce spirit exactly as it is written, and never sperit.
160. The camelopard is the tallest of known animals; pronounce camelopard with the accent on the second syllable. Never call it camel leopard, as is so often heard.
161. He is very awkward; never say, awkard.
162. He ran again me; I stood again the wall; instead of again, say against. Do it again the time I mentioned; say, by the time, &c.
163. I always act agreeable to my promise; say, agreeably.
164. The study of syntax should be previously to that of punctuation; say, previous.
165. No one should incur censure for being tender of their reputation; say, of his reputation.
166. They were all drownded; say, drowned.
167. Jalap is of great service; pronounce jalap exactly as it is written, never jollop.
168. He is gone on a tour; pronounce tour so as to rhyme with poor, never like tower.
169. The rain is ceased; say, has ceased.
170. They laid their heads together, and formed their plan; say, They held a consultation, &c. Laid their heads together savors of slang.
171. The chimley wants sweeping; say, chimney.
172. I was walking towards home; pronounce towards so as to rhyme with boards. Never say to wards.
173. It is a stupenduous work; say, stupendous.
174. A courier is expected from Paris; pronounce cou in courier so as to rhyme with too. Never pronounce courier like currier.
175. Let each of us mind their own business; say, his own business.
176. Is this or that the best road? say, the better road.
177. Rinse your mouth; pronounce rinse as it is written, and never rense. "Wrench your mouth," said a fashionable dentist one day to the author of this work.
178. The book is not as well printed as it ought to be; say, so well printed, &c.
179. Webster's Dictionary is an admirable work; pronounce dictionary as if written dik-shun-a-ry; not, as is too commonly the practice, dixonary.
180. Some disaster has certainly befell him; say, befallen.
181. She is a pretty creature; never pronounce creature, creeter, as is often heard.
182. We went to see the Monument; pronounce monument exactly as it is written, and not as many pronounce it, moniment.
183. I am very wet, and must go and change myself; say, change my clothes.
184. He has had a good education; never say, edication, which is often heard, nor edicate for educate.
185. He is much better than me; say, than I.
186. You are stronger than him; say, than he.
187. I had as lief stand; say, I would as soon stand.
188. He is not a whit better; say, in no degree better.
189. They are at loggerheads; say, at variance.
190. His character is undeniable,—a very common expression; say, unexceptionable.
191. Bring me the lantern; never spell lantern, lanthorn.
192. The room is twelve foot long, and nine foot broad; say, twelve feet, nine feet.
193. He is singular, though regular in his habits, and also very particular; beware of leaving out the u in singular, regular, and particular, which is a very common practice.
194. They are detained at France; say, in France.
195. He lives at London; say, in London, and beware of pronouncing London, as many careless persons do, Lunnun. At should be applied to small towns.
196. No less than fifty persons were there; say, No fewer, &c.
197. Such another mistake, and we shall be ruined; say, Another such mistake, &c.
198. It is some distance from our house; say, at some distance, &c.
199. I shall call upon him; say, on him.
200. He is a Doctor of Medicine; pronounce medicine in three syllables, never in two.
201. They told me to enter in; leave out in, as it is implied in enter.
202. His strength is amazing; never say, strenth.
203. "Mistaken souls, who dream of heaven,"—this is the beginning of a popular hymn; it should be, "Mistaking souls," &c. Mistaken wretch, for mistaking wretch, is an apostrophe that occurs everywhere among our poets, particularly those of the stage; the most incorrigible of all, and the most likely to fix and disseminate an error of this kind.
204. Give me both of those books; leave out of.
205. Whenever I try to write well, I always find I can do it; leave out always, which is unnecessary.
206. He plunged down into the stream; leave out down.
207. She is the matron; say may-tron, and not mat-ron.
208. Give me leave to tell you; never say leaf for leave.
209. The height is considerable; pronounce height so as to rhyme with tight. Never hate nor heighth.
210. Who has my scissors? never call scissors, sithers.
211. First of all I shall give you a lesson in French, and last of all in music; leave out of all in both instances, as unnecessary.
212. I shall have finished by the latter end of the week; leave out latter, which is unnecessary.
213. They sought him throughout the whole country; leave out whole, which is implied in throughout.
214. Iron sinks down in water; leave out down.
215. I own that I did not come soon enough; but because why? I was detained; leave out because.
216. Have you seen the new pantomime? never say pantomine, as there is no such word.
217. I cannot by no means allow it; say, I can by no means, &c., or, I cannot by any means, &c.
218. He covered it over; leave out over.
219. I bought a new pair of shoes; say, a pair of new shoes.
220. He combined together these facts; leave out together.
221. My brother called on me, and we both took a walk; leave out both, which is unnecessary.
222. The duke discharged his duty; sound the u in duke and duty like the word you, and carefully avoid saying, dook and dooty, or doo for dew.
223. Genealogy, geography, and geometry are words of Greek derivation; beware of saying, geneology, jography, and jometry, a very common practice.
224. He made out the inventory; place the accent in inventory on the syllable in, and never on ven.
225. He deserves chastisement; say, chas-tiz-ment, with the accent on chas, and never on tise.
226. He threw the rind away; never call rind, rine.
227. They contributed to his maintenance; pronounce maintenance with the accent on main, and never say, maintainance.
228. She wears a silk gown; never say, gownd.
229. Sussex is a maritime county; pronounce the last syllable of maritime so as to rhyme with rim.
230. He hovered about the enemy; pronounce hovered so as to rhyme with covered.
231. He is a powerful ally; never place the accent on al in ally, as many do.
232. She bought a diamond necklace; pronounce diamond in three syllables, never in two, which is a very common practice.
233. He reads the "Weekly Despatch;" never spell the word despatch, dispatch.
234. He said as how you was to do it; say, he said that you were to do it.
235. Never say, "I acquiesce with you;" but, "I acquiesce in your proposal, in your opinion," &c.
236. He is a distinguished antiquarian; say, antiquary. Antiquarian is an adjective; antiquary, a noun.
237. In Goldsmith's "History of England" we find the following extraordinary sentence in one of the chapters on the reign of Queen Elizabeth:—"This" that supplied the family with ale through a chink in the wall of her apartment." A queer brewer that,—to supply his ale through a chink in the wall! How easy the alteration to make the passage clear! "This they effected by conveying their letters to her through a chink in the wall of her apartment, by means of a brewer that supplied the family with ale."
238. Lavater wrote on Physiognomy; in the last word sound the g distinctly, as g is always pronounced before n when it is not in the same syllable; as, indignity, &c.
239. She is a very clever girl; pronounce girl as if written gerl; never say gal, which is very vulgar.
240. He built a large granary; pronounce granary so as to rhyme with tannery, never call the word grainary.
241. Beware of using Oh! and O indiscriminately; Oh! is used to express the emotion of pain, sorrow, or surprise; as, "Oh! the exceeding grace of God, who loves his creatures so." O is used to express wishing, exclamation, or a direct address to a person; as,
"O mother, will the God above,
Forgive my faults like thee?"
242. Some writers make a distinction between farther and further; they are, in fact, the very same word. Further, however, is less used than farther, though it is the genuine form.
243. He did it unbeknown to us; say, unknown, &c.
244. If I say "They retreated back," I use a word that is superfluous, as back is implied in the syllable re in retreated. Never place the accent on flu in superfluous, but always on per.
245. In reading Paley's "Evidences of Christianity," I unexpectedly lit on the passage I wanted; say, met with the passage, &c.
246. He has ordered a phaeton from his coach-maker; beware of saying, pheton or phaton. The word should always be pronounced in three syllables, with the accent on pha. N. B. In pha-e-ton the a and e do not form a diphthong, as many suppose; the word is of Greek origin.
247. Be careful to use the hyphen (-) correctly; it joins compound words, and words broken by the ending of the line. The use of the hyphen will appear more clearly from the following example: "many colored wings" means many wings, which are colored; but "many-colored wings" means "wings of many colors."
248. He had to wait in an antechamber; carefully avoid spelling the last word antichamber. N. B. An antechamber is the chamber that leads to the chief apartment. Ante is a Latin preposition, and means before, as, to antedate, that is, "to date beforehand." Anti is a Greek preposition, and means against, as, antimonarchical, that is, "against government by a single person."
249. The axe was very sharp; never spell axe without the e.
250. The force of voice, which is placed on any particular word or words to distinguish the sense, is called emphasis and those words are called emphatical words: as, "Grammar is a useful science." In this sentence the word useful is emphatical. The great importance of emphasis may be seen by the following example:
1. Will you call on me to-morrow?
Yes, I shall [call].
2. Will you call on me to-morrow?
No, but I shall call on your brother.
3. Will you call on me to-morrow?
No, but I shall on the following day.
4. Will you call on me to-morrow?
No, but my brother will.
251. Never say o-fences for offences; pison for poison; co-lection for collection; voiolent for violent; kiver for cover; afeard for afraid; debbuty for deputy.
252. He is a mere cipher; never spell cipher with a y.
253. I was necessitated to do it; a vile expression, and often made worse by necessiated being used. Say, I was obliged, or compelled, to do it.
254. Gibbon wrote the "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire;" pronounce rise, the noun, so as to rhyme with price; rise, the verb, rhymes with prize.
255. Have you been to the National Gallery? Never pronounce national as if it were written nay-shun-al, a very common error, and by no means confined to uneducated persons.
256. I bought a new umbrella; beware of pronouncing umbrella, umberella, or umbereller, both very common errors.
257. He is a supporter of the government; beware of omitting the n in the second syllable of government. A very common practice.
258. He strenuously maintained the contrary; never place the accent on the second syllable in contrary. In the ancient and time-honored ditty, however, of
"Mistress Mary,
Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?"
a ballad with which we are all more or less familiar, the word "contrary" is accented on the second syllable, so as to rhyme with the name of the venerable dame to whom these memorable lines were addressed.
259. "Received this day of Mr. Brown, ten pounds;" say, "Received this day from", &c.
260. "In what case is the word dominus?" "In the nominative, sir." In the hurry of school pronunciation "nominative" is nearly always heard in three syllables, as if written nomnative or nomative, an error that should be very carefully avoided; it is a word of four syllables.
261. Of whatever you get, endeavor to save something; and, with all your getting, get wisdom. Carefully avoid saying git for get, and gitting for getting.
262. So intent was he on the song he was singing, as he stood by the fire, that he did not perceive that his clothes were singeing. N. B. Verbs ending with a single e omit the e when the termination ing is added; as, give, giving. In singeing, however, the e must be retained, to prevent its being confounded with singing.
263. The boy had a swingeing for swinging without permission. Read the preceding note.
264. The man who was dyeing said that his father was then dying. Read the note in No. 262, in reference to dyeing; and observe that die changes the i into y before the addition of the termination ing.
265. His surname is Clifford; never spell the sur in surname, sir, which shows an ignorance of is true derivation, which is from the Latin.
266. In "Bell's Life in London," of Saturday, Jan. 13th, of the current year [1855], there is a letter from a Scotchman to the editor on the subject of the declining salmon fisheries in Scotland. In one passage the writer thus expresses himself: "The Duke of Sutherland has got almost no rent for these [salmon] rivers for the last four years," &c. The writer should have said, scarcely any rent. "Almost no rent" is a downright Scotticism.
267. His mamma sent him to a preparatory school; mamma is often written with one m only, which is not, as may at first be supposed, in imitation of the French [maman], but in sheer ignorance. The word is pure Greek.
268. Active verbs often take a neuter sense; as, The house is building. Here is building is used in a neuter signification, because it has no object after it. By this rule are explained such sentences as, Application is wanting, The grammar is printing, &c.
269. He attackted me without the slightest provocation; say, attacked.
270. I saw him somewheres in the city; say, somewhere. N. B. Nowheres, everywheres, and anywheres are also very frequently heard.
271. He is still a bacheldor; say, bachelor.
272. His language was quite blasphemous; beware of placing the accent on phe in blasphemous. A very common mistake. Place the accent on the syllable blas.
273. I fear I shall discommode you; say, incommode.
274. I can do it equally as well as he; leave out equally, which is altogether superfluous.
275. We could not forbear from doing it; leave out from, which is unnecessary.
276. They accused him for neglecting his duty; say, of neglecting, &c.
277. He was made much on at Bath; say, made much of, &c.
278. He is a man on whom you can confide; say, in whom, &c.
279. I'm thinking he will soon arrive; say, I think, &c.
280. He was obliged to fly the country; say, flee the country. A very common mistake.
281. The snuffers wants mending; say, want mending.
282. His conduct admits of no apology; leave out of, which is quite unnecessary.
283. A gent has been here, inquiring for you,—a detestable, but very common, expression; say, a gentleman, &c.
284. That was all along of you; say, That was all your fault.
285. You have no call to be vexed with me; say, no occasion, &c.
286. I don't know nothing about it,—a very common cockneyism; leave out don't.
287. I had rather not, should be, I would rather not.
288. I had better go, should be, It were better that I should go.
289. A new pair of gloves, should be, A pair of new gloves.
290. He is a very rising man, should be, He is rising rapidly.
291. Apartments to let, should be, Apartments to be let.
292. No less than ten persons, should be, No fewer than ten persons. Less must be applied to quantity, as, No less than ten pounds. Fewer must be applied to things.
293. I never speak, whenever I can help it, should be, I never speak when I can help it.
294. Before I do that, I must first be paid, should be, Before I do that, I must be paid.
295. To get over an illness, should be, To survive, or, To recover from an illness.
296. To get over a person, should be, To persuade a person.
297. To get over a fact, should be, To deny or refute it.
298. The then Duke of Bedford, should be, The Duke of Bedford of that day, or, The sixth Duke of Bedford.
299. The then Mrs. Howard, should be, The Mrs. Howard then living.
300. A couple of pounds, should be, Two pounds. Couple implies union, as, A married couple.
301. He speaks slow, should be, He speaks slowly.
302. He is noways in fault, should be, He is nowise in fault.
303. He is like to be, should be, He is likely to be.
304. All over the land, should be, Over all the land.
305. I am stout in comparison to you, should be, I am stout in comparison with you.
306. At best, should be, At the best.
307. At worst, should be, At the worst.
308. The dinner was all eat up, should be, The dinner was all eaten.
309. I eat heartily, should be, I ate heartily.
310. As I take it, should be, As I see it, or understand it.
311. I shall fall down, should be, I shall fall.
312. It fell on the floor, should be, It fell to the floor.
313. He again repeated it, should be, He repeated it.
314. His conduct was approved of by all, should be, His conduct was approved by all.
315. He was killed by a cannon ball, should be, He was killed with a cannon ball. The gun was fired by a man.
316. Six weeks back, should be, Six weeks ago, or since.
317. Every now and then, should be, Often, or Frequently.
318. Who finds him in money? should be, Who finds him money?
319. The first of all, should be, The first.
320. The last of all, should be, The last.
321. Be that as it will, should be, Be that as it may.
322. My every hope, should be, All my hopes.
323. Since when, should be, Since which time.
324. He put it in his pocket, should be, He put it into his pocket.
325. Since then, should be, Since that time.
326. The latter end, should be, The end.
327. I saw it in here, should be, I saw it here.
328. That ay'nt just, should be, That is not just.
329. The hen is setting, should be, The hen is sitting.
330. The wind sets, should be, The wind sits.
331. To lift up, should be, To lift.
332. I said so over again, should be, I repeated it.
333. From here to there, should be, From this place to that.
334. Nobody else but him, should be, Nobody but him.
335. The balloon ascended up, should be, The balloon ascended.
336. This two days, should be, These two days.
337. Do you mean to come? should be, Do you intend to come?
338. Each of them are, should be, Each of them is. Each means one and the other of two.
339. Either of the three, should be, Any one of the three. Either means one or the other of two.
340. Neither one or the other, should be, Neither one nor the other. Neither (not either) means not the one nor the other of two.
341. Better nor that, should be, Better than that.
342. Bad grammar, should be, Bad or ungrammatical English.
343. As soon as ever, should be, As soon as.
344. You will some day be sorry, should be, You will one day be sorry.
345. From now, should be, From this time.
346. Therefore, I thought it proper to write you, should be, Therefore, I think it proper to write to you.
347. There's thirty, should be, There are thirty.
348. Subject matter, should be, The subject.
349. A summer's morning, should be, A summer morning.
350. My clothes have got too small, or too short, for me, should be, I have become too stout or too tall for my clothes.
351. A most perfect poem, should be, A perfect poem. Perfect, supreme, complete, brief, full, empty, true, false, do not admit of comparison.
352. Avoid using unmeaning or vulgar phrases in speaking, as, You don't say so? Don't you know? Don't you see? You know; You see; So, you see, &c.
353. Is Mr. Smith in? should be, Is Mr. Smith within?
354. The other one, should be, The other.
355. Another one, should be, Another.
356. I left this morning. Name the place left.
357. Over head and ears, should be, Over head.
358. I may perhaps, or probably, should be, I may.
359. Whether he will or no, should be, Whether he will or not.
360. Says I, should be, Said I, or, I said.
361. He spoke contemptibly of him, should be, He spoke contemptuously of him.
362. Was you? should be, Were you?
363. I am oftener well than ill, should be, I am more frequently well than ill.
364. For good and all, should be, For ever.
365. It is above a month since, should be, It is more then a month since.
366. He is a superior man, should be, He is superior to most men.
367. He need not do it, should be, He needs not do it.
368. Go over the bridge, should be, Go across the bridge.
369. I was some distance from home, should be, I was at some distance from home.
370. He belongs to the Mechanics' Institution, should be, He is a member of the Mechanics' Institution.
371. For such another book, should be, For another such book.
372. They mutually loved each other, should be, They loved each other.
373. I ay'nt, should be, I am not.
374. I am up to you, should be, I understand you.
375. Bread has rose, should be, Bread has risen.
376. He was in eminent danger, should be, He was in imminent danger.
377. Take hold on, should be, Take hold of.
378. Vegetables were plenty, should be, Vegetables were plentiful.
379. Avoid all slang and vulgar words and phrases, as, Any how, Bating, Bran new, To blow up, Bother, Cut, Currying favor, Fork out, Half an eye, I am up to you, Kick up, Leastwise, Nowheres, Pell-mell, Scrape, The Scratch, Rum, Topsy-turvey, Walk into, Whatsomever.
"Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar."—Shakespeare.
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FOOTNOTES:
"Quale i fioretti, dol notturno gielo
Chinati e chiusi, poi che 'l sol gl' imbianca,
Si drizzan tutti aperti in loro stelo,
Tal mi fece io di mia virtute stanca."
Inf. Can. ii. 127-9.
"Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico
Tangit, et admissus circum præcordia ludit."
Pers. i. 116.
[C] December, 1854.
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will appear.