Reading Help How to speak and write correctly Ch.VII-XV

And let not the foeman tramp o'er you; `
` Act, act like a soldier and proudly rush on `
` The most valiant in Bravery's van, `
` With keen, flashing sword cut your way to the front `
` And show to the world you're a _Man_. `
` `
` If you are of the masculine gender be a man in all things in the highest `
` and best acceptation of the word. That is the noblest title you can `
` boast, higher far than that of earl or duke, emperor or king. In the same `
` way womanhood is the grandest crown the feminine head can wear. When the `
` world frowns on you and everything seems to go wrong, possess your soul `
` in patience and hope for the dawn of a brighter day. It will come. The `
` sun is always shining behind the darkest clouds. When you get your `
` manuscripts back again and again, don't despair, nor think the editor `
` cruel and unkind. He, too, has troubles of his own. Keep up your spirits `
` until you have made the final test and put your talents to a last analysis, `
` then if you find you cannot get into print be sure that newspaper writing `
` or literary work is not your _forte_, and turn to something else. If `
` nothing better presents itself, try shoemaking or digging ditches. `
` Remember honest labor, no matter how humble, is ever dignified. If you `
` are a woman throw aside the pen, sit down and darn your brother's, your `
` father's, or your husband's socks, or put on a calico apron, take soap `
` and water and scrub the floor. No matter who you are do something useful. `
` That old sophistry about the world owing you a living has been exploded `
` long ago. The world does not owe you a living, but you owe it servitude, `
` and if you do not pay the debt you are not serving the purpose of an `
` all-wise Providence and filling the place for which you were created. It `
` is for you to serve the world, to make it better, brighter, higher, holier, `
` grander, nobler, richer, for your having lived in it. This you can do in `
` no matter what position fortune has cast you, whether it be that of `
` street laborer or president. Fight the good fight and gain the victory. `
` `
` "Above all, to thine own self be true, `
` And 'twill follow as the night the `
` day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." `
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` CHAPTER XIII `
` `
` CHOICE OF WORDS `
` `
` Small Words--Their Importance--The Anglo-Saxon Element `
` `
` `
` In another place in this book advice has been given to never use a long `
` word when a short one will serve the same purpose. This advice is to be `
` `
` emphasized. Words of "learned length and thundering sound" should be `
` avoided on all possible occasions. They proclaim shallowness of intellect `
` and vanity of mind. The great purists, the masters of diction, the `
` exemplars of style, used short, simple words that all could understand; `
` words about which there could be no ambiguity as to meaning. It must be `
` remembered that by our words we teach others; therefore, a very great `
` responsibility rests upon us in regard to the use of a right language. We `
` must take care that we think and speak in a way so clear that there may `
` be no misapprehension or danger of conveying wrong impressions by vague `
` and misty ideas enunciated in terms which are liable to be misunderstood `
` by those whom we address. Words give a body or form to our ideas, without `
` which they are apt to be so foggy that we do not see where they are weak `
` or false. We must make the endeavor to employ such words as will put the `
` idea we have in our own mind into the mind of another. This is the `
` greatest art in the world--to clothe our ideas in words clear and `
` comprehensive to the intelligence of others. It is the art which the `
` teacher, the minister, the lawyer, the orator, the business man, must `
` master if they would command success in their various fields of endeavor. `
` It is very hard to convey an idea to, and impress it on, another when he `
` has but a faint conception of the language in which the idea is expressed; `
` but it is impossible to convey it at all when the words in which it is `
` clothed are unintelligible to the listener. `
` `
` If we address an audience of ordinary men and women in the English `
` language, but use such words as they cannot comprehend, we might as well `
` speak to them in Coptic or Chinese, for they will derive no benefit from `
` our address, inasmuch as the ideas we wish to convey are expressed in `
` words which communicate no intelligent meaning to their minds. `
` `
` Long words, learned words, words directly derived from other languages `
` are only understood by those who have had the advantages of an extended `
` education. All have not had such advantages. The great majority in this `
` grand and glorious country of ours have to hustle for a living from an `
` early age. Though education is free, and compulsory also, very many never `
` get further than the "Three R's." These are the men with whom we have to `
` deal most in the arena of life, the men with the horny palms and the iron `
` muscles, the men who build our houses, construct our railroads, drive our `
` street cars and trains, till our fields, harvest our crops--in a word, `
` the men who form the foundation of all society, the men on whom the world `
` depends to make its wheels go round. The language of the colleges and `
` universities is not for them and they can get along very well without it; `
` they have no need for it at all in their respective callings. The plain, `
` simple words of everyday life, to which the common people have been used `
` around their own firesides from childhood, are the words we must use in `
` our dealings with them. `
` `
` Such words are understood by them and understood by the learned as well; `
` why then not use them universally and all the time? Why make a one-sided `
` affair of language by using words which only one class of the people, the `
` so-called learned class, can understand? Would it not be better to use, `
` on all occasions, language which the both classes can understand? If we `
` take the trouble to investigate we shall find that the men who exerted `
` the greatest sway over the masses and the multitude as orators, lawyers, `
` preachers and in other public capacities, were men who used very simple `
` language. Daniel Webster was among the greatest orators this country has `
` produced. He touched the hearts of senates and assemblages, of men and `
` women with the burning eloquence of his words. He never used a long word `
` when he could convey the same, or nearly the same, meaning with a short `
` one. When he made a speech he always told those who put it in form for `
` the press to strike out every long word. Study his speeches, go over all `
` he ever said or wrote, and you will find that his language was always `
` made up of short, clear, strong terms, although at times, for the sake of `
` sound and oratorical effect, he was compelled to use a rather long word, `
` but it was always against his inclination to do so, and where was the man `
` who could paint, with words, as Webster painted! He could picture things `
` in a way so clear that those who heard him felt that they had seen that `
` of which he spoke. `
` `
` Abraham Lincoln was another who stirred the souls of men, yet he was not `
` an orator, not a scholar; he did not write M.A. or Ph.D. after his name, `
` or any other college degree, for he had none. He graduated from the `
` University of Hard Knocks, and he never forgot this severe _Alma Mater_ `
` when he became President of the United States. He was just as plain, I `
` just as humble, as in the days when he split rails or plied a boat on the `
` Sangamon. He did not use big words, but he used the words of the people, `
` and in such a way as to make them beautiful. His Gettysburg address is an `
` English classic, one of the great masterpieces of the language. `
` `
` From the mere fact that a word is short it does not follow that it is `
` always clear, but it is true that nearly all clear words are short, and `
` that most of the long words, especially those which we get from other `
` languages, are misunderstood to a great extent by the ordinary rank and `
` file of the people. Indeed, it is to be doubted if some of the "scholars" `
` using them, fully understand their import on occasions. A great many such `
` words admit of several interpretations. A word has to be in use a great `
` deal before people get thoroughly familiar with its meaning. Long words, `
` not alone obscure thought and make the ideas hazy, but at times they tend `
` to mix up things in such a way that positively harmful results follow `
` from their use. `
` `
` For instance, crime can be so covered with the folds of long words as to `
` give it a different appearance. Even the hideousness of sin can be cloaked `
` with such words until its outlines look like a thing of beauty. When a bank `
` cashier makes off with a hundred thousand dollars we politely term his `
` crime _defalcation_ instead of plain _theft_, and instead of calling `
` himself a _thief_ we grandiosely allude to him as a _defaulter_. When we `
` see a wealthy man staggering along a fashionable thoroughfare under the `
` influence of alcohol, waving his arms in the air and shouting boisterously, `
` we smile and say, poor gentleman, he is somewhat _exhilarated_; or at worst `
` we say, he is slightly _inebriated_; but when we see a poor man who has `
` fallen from grace by putting an "enemy into his mouth to steal away his `
` brain" we express our indignation in the simple language of the words: `
` "Look at the wretch; he is dead drunk." `
` `
` When we find a person in downright lying we cover the falsehood with the `
` finely-spun cloak of the word _prevarication_. Shakespeare says, "a rose `
` by any other name would smell as sweet," and by a similar sequence, a `
` lie, no matter by what name you may call it, is always a lie and should `
` be condemned; then why not simply call it a lie? Mean what you say and `
` say what you mean; call a spade a spade, it is the best term you can `
` apply to the implement. `
` `
` When you try to use short words and shun long ones in a little while you `
` will find that you can do so with ease. A farmer was showing a horse to a `
` city-bred gentleman. The animal was led into a paddock in which an old `
` sow-pig was rooting. "What a fine quadruped!" exclaimed the city man. `
` `
` "Which of the two do you mean, the pig or the horse?" queried the farmer, `
` "for, in my opinion, both of them are fine quadrupeds." `
` `
` Of course the visitor meant the horse, so it would have been much better `
` had he called the animal by its simple; ordinary name--, there would have `
` been no room for ambiguity in his remark. He profited, however, by the `
` incident, and never called a horse a quadruped again. `
` `
` Most of the small words, the simple words, the beautiful words which `
` express so much within small bounds belong to the pure Anglo-Saxon element `
` of our language. This element has given names to the heavenly bodies, the `
` sun, moon and stars; to three out of the four elements, earth, fire and `
` water; three out of the four seasons, spring, summer and winter. Its simple `
` words are applied to all the natural divisions of time, except one, as day, `
` night, morning, evening, twilight, noon, mid-day, midnight, sunrise and `
` sunset. The names of light, heat, cold, frost, rain, snow, hail, sleet, `
` thunder, lightning, as well as almost all those objects which form the `
` component parts of the beautiful, as expressed in external scenery, such as `
` sea and land, hill and dale, wood and stream, etc., are Anglo-Saxon. To `
` this same language we are indebted for those words which express the `
` earliest and dearest connections, and the strongest and most powerful `
` feelings of Nature, and which, as a consequence, are interwoven with the `
` fondest and most hallowed associations. Of such words are father, mother, `
` husband, wife, brother, sister, son, daughter, child, home, kindred, `
` friend, hearth, roof and fireside. `
` `
` The chief emotions of which we are susceptible are expressed in the same `
` language--love, hope, fear, sorrow, shame, and also the outward signs by `
` which these emotions are indicated, as tear, smile, laugh, blush, weep, `
` sigh, groan. Nearly all our national proverbs are Anglo-Saxon. Almost all `
` the terms and phrases by which we most energetically express anger, `
` contempt and indignation are of the same origin. `
` `
` What are known as the Smart Set and so-called polite society, are `
` relegating a great many of our old Anglo-Saxon words into the shade, `
`