Conversation: Its Faults and Its Graces Part 9

147. He is gone on an _errand_; p.r.o.nounce _errand_ as it is written, and not _arrant_.

148. In a popular work on arithmetic we find the following sum,--"If for 7_s._ 8_d._, I can buy 9 lbs. of raisins, _how much_ can I purchase for 56 16_s._?" say, "_what quant.i.ty_ can I," &c. Who would think of saying "_how much raisins_?"

149. Be very careful in distinguis.h.i.+ng between _indite_ and _indict_; _key_ and _quay_; _principle_ and _princ.i.p.al_; _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_; _pet.i.tion_ and _part.i.tion_; _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_; _ba.s.s_ and _base_; _contagious_ and _contiguous_; _eminent_ and _imminent_; _eruption_ and _irruption_; _precedent_ and _president_; _relic_ and _relict_.

150. I prefer _radishes_ to _cuc.u.mbers_; p.r.o.nounce _radishes_ exactly as it is spelt, and not _redishes_, and the _u_ in the first syllable of _cuc.u.mber_ as in _fuel_, and not as if the word were _cowc.u.mber_.

151. Never p.r.o.nounce _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_;" p.r.o.nounce _progress_, _prog-ress_, not _pro-gress_.

159. He is a boy of a great _spirit_; p.r.o.nounce _spirit_ exactly as it is written, and never _sperit_.

160. The _camelopard_ is the tallest of known animals; p.r.o.nounce _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; p.r.o.nounce _jalap_ exactly as it is written, NEVER _jollop_.

168. He is gone on a _tour_; p.r.o.nounce _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; p.r.o.nounce _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; p.r.o.nounce _cou_ in _courier_ so as to rhyme with _too_. _Never_ p.r.o.nounce _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; p.r.o.nounce _rinse_ as it is written, and NEVER _rense_. "_Wrench your mouth_," said a fas.h.i.+onable 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; p.r.o.nounce _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 p.r.o.nounce _creature_, _creeter_, as is often heard.

182. We went to see the _Monument_; p.r.o.nounce _monument_ exactly as it is written, and _not_ as many p.r.o.nounce 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 p.r.o.nouncing _London_, as many careless persons do, _Lunnun_. _At_ should be applied to small towns.