The Daily Speech of English People During the last two generations more "slang" had crept into the daily speech of English people than ever before since the language was formed, with the result that not only have the meaning of words been rapidly eHawged (as is incvitable in the progress of any speech) but a great number of words have fallen into rapid oblivion, and many that were in common use only 60 years ago have now an old-fashioned or awkward sound and are only Kept from complete decay by ocjeasional reading of "standard" authors and the occasional use by living writers who do not command large public, for the successful novelist or even essayist must write in the idiom of his day or become <ry and pedantic, Every decade has had a peculiar slang—the "argot" of the prisons and slums at one end of the scale and the mincing affectations of fashion at the other; but never has there been a period when a wilful misuse of words, a coining of expressions, the overworking of a few phrases, and the utter rejection of others has been so universal It is not so very long ago since Dorothy Wordsworth wrote her famous poem on "Love and Like" in which she endeavoured to inculate a fine regard for the niceties of language.
You may lore the downs om Tt only lite a roasted Cowl."
What would she have said to those who "adore" everything from a handkerchief to an aeroplane?
How seldom now are sach words: virtue," "fortitude,"
"mutable, "com-
(to mame a few at random) used? They remain familiar to the ear, but they have already left the daily speech of the the things, and facts they represent are expressed in "cliches or slang phrases which are instant understood by all_and which There are many obsolete words which have never been in daily use and therefore are little to be regretted; it would be pure affection fo describe a circlet as "coarse brown sugar'? a Tittle flower as a parting entertainment to 9 friend a "foy," or a rope-dancer as a "funambalist," though these are all good "dictionary" words; but it fs permissible to hope that there may some revival in current speech of the words which have formed our entire literature, and in which our history, commerce, social and family life have been conducted. For the use of fine, correct language is a sign of vigour and too great an indifference to "the well of ancient English, undefiled," a symptom of that cynicism which is the worst form of weakness.—Marjorie Bowen "Current Literature" from Mecers, Brewer & Ca. Lid.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.