CORRECT AND FAULTY DICTION

CORRECTNESS is the primary requisite of spoken or written discourse. Language must not be only understood, but it must convey all the meaning which the writer intends to express. As a guide to those who are bewildered by the many cases of divided usage, the following adaptation of certain canons, framed by Dr. Campbell over a century ago and used as a basis by every later writer on Rhetoric, are here given:

Canon I. — When, of two words or phrases in equally good use, one is susceptible of two significations and the other of but one, preference should be given to the latter: e.g., admittance is better than admission, as the latter word also means “confession”; relative is to be preferred to relation, as the latter also means the telling of a story.

Canon II. — In doubtful cases regard should be given to the analogy of the language: might better should be preferred to had better, and would rather is better than had rather.

Canon III. — The simpler and briefer form should be preferred, other things being equal: {100} e.g., omit the bracketed words in expressions such as, open [up], meet [together], follow [after], examine [into], trace [out], bridge [over], crave [for], etc.

Canon IV. — Between two forms of expression in equally good use, prefer the one which is more euphonious: e.g., most beautiful is better than beautifullest, and more free is to be preferred to freer.

Canon V. — In cases not covered by the four preceding canons, prefer that which conforms to the older usage: e.g., begin is better than commence.

Familiarity with the writings of those authors whose style is accepted as conforming to the standards of good usage is an essential to all those who seek accuracy in correct expression, and the following authors may be studied with this in mind: Addison, Matthew Arnold, Burke, DeQuincey, George Eliot, Emerson, Hawthorne, Holmes, Irving, Macaulay, John Stuart Mill, Newman, Poe, Ruskin, Stevenson, and Thackeray.

The various standard dictionaries may be consulted regarding words which are questionable when measured by good usage. The function of the dictionary is to record all words in general use, but a careful record is made as to the classes to which the various words belong. Good usage, for instance, does not recognize the word vim, yet it will be found in the Century Dictionary; but at {101} the end of the definition an entry [Colloq.] is placed, showing that it is authorized only by colloquial use.

The following list of words and phrases which are most commonly misused will be found useful. The correct words are added in brackets:

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