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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt project gutenberg s how to speak and write correctly by joseph devlin copyright laws are changing all over the world be sure to check the copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing this or any other project gutenberg ebook this header should be the first thing seen when viewing this project gutenberg file please do not remove it do not change or edit the header without written permission please read the legal small print and other information about the ebook and project gutenberg at the bottom of this file included is important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how the file may be used you can also find out about how to make a donation to project gutenberg and how to get involved welcome to the world of free plain vanilla electronic texts ebooks readable by both humans and by computers since 1971 these ebooks were prepared by thousands of volunteers title how to speak and write correctly author joseph devlin release date september 2004 [ebook #6409 [yes we are more than one year ahead of schedule [this file was first posted on december 8 2002 [date last updated september 8 2006 edition 10 language english character set encoding ascii start of the project gutenberg ebook how to speak and write file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 1 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt produced by tom allen charles franks and the online distributed proofreading team how to speak and write correctly by joseph devlin m.a edited by theodore waters the christian herald bible house new york copyright 1910 by the christian herald new york contents chapter i requirements of speech vocabulary parts of speech requisites chapter ii essentials of english grammar divisions of grammar definitions etymology file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 2 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt chapter iii the sentence different kinds arrangement of words paragraph chapter iv figurative language figures of speech definitions and examples use of figures chapter v punctuation principal points illustrations capital letters chapter vi letter writing principles of letter writing forms notes chapter vii errors mistakes slips of authors examples and corrections errors of redundancy chapter viii pitfalls to avoid common stumbling blocks peculiar constructions misused forms chapter ix style diction purity propriety precision chapter x suggestions how to write what to write correct speaking and speakers chapter xi slang origin american slang foreign slang chapter xii writing for newspapers qualification appropriate subjects directions chapter xiii choice of words small words their importance the anglo-saxon element file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 3 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt chapter xiv english language beginning different sources the present chapter xv masters and masterpieces of literature great authors classification the world s best books introduction in the preparation of this little work the writer has kept one end in view viz to make it serviceable for those for whom it is intended that is for those who have neither the time nor the opportunity the learning nor the inclination to peruse elaborate and abstruse treatises on rhetoric grammar and composition to them such works are as gold enclosed in chests of steel and locked beyond power of opening this book has no pretension about it whatever it is neither a manual of rhetoric expatiating on the dogmas of style nor a grammar full of arbitrary rules and exceptions it is merely an effort to help ordinary everyday people to express themselves in ordinary everyday language in a proper manner some broad rules are laid down the observance of which will enable the reader to keep within the pale of propriety in oral and written language many idiomatic words and expressions peculiar to the language have been given besides which a number of the common mistakes and pitfalls have been placed before the reader so that he may know and avoid them the writer has to acknowledge his indebtedness to no one in _particular but to all in _general who have ever written on the subject the little book goes forth a finger-post on the road of language pointing in the right direction it is hoped that they who go according to its index will arrive at the goal of correct speaking and writing chapter i file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 4 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt requirements of speech vocabulary parts of speech requisites it is very easy to learn how to speak and write correctly as for all purposes of ordinary conversation and communication only about 2,000 different words are required the mastery of just twenty hundred words the knowing where to place them will make us not masters of the english language but masters of correct speaking and writing small number you will say compared with what is in the dictionary but nobody ever uses all the words in the dictionary or could use them did he live to be the age of methuselah and there is no necessity for using them there are upwards of 200,000 words in the recent editions of the large dictionaries but the one-hundredth part of this number will suffice for all your wants of course you may think not and you may not be content to call things by their common names you may be ambitious to show superiority over others and display your learning or rather your pedantry and lack of learning for instance you may not want to call a spade a spade you may prefer to call it a spatulous device for abrading the surface of the soil better however to stick to the old familiar simple name that your grandfather called it it has stood the test of time and old friends are always good friends to use a big word or a foreign word when a small one and a familiar one will answer the same purpose is a sign of ignorance great scholars and writers and polite speakers use simple words to go back to the number necessary for all purposes of conversation correspondence and writing 2,000 we find that a great many people who pass in society as being polished refined and educated use less for they know less the greatest scholar alive hasn t more than four thousand different words at his command and he never has occasion to use half the number in the works of shakespeare the most wonderful genius the world has ever known there is the enormous number of 15,000 different words but almost 10,000 of them are obsolete or meaningless today every person of intelligence should be able to use his mother tongue correctly it only requires a little pains a little care a little study to enable one to do so and the recompense is great file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 5 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt consider the contrast between the well-bred polite man who knows how to choose and use his words correctly and the underbred vulgar boor whose language grates upon the ear and jars the sensitiveness of the finer feelings the blunders of the latter his infringement of all the canons of grammar his absurdities and monstrosities of language make his very presence a pain and one is glad to escape from his company the proper grammatical formation of the english language so that one may acquit himself as a correct conversationalist in the best society or be able to write and express his thoughts and ideas upon paper in the right manner may be acquired in a few lessons it is the purpose of this book as briefly and concisely as possible to direct the reader along a straight course pointing out the mistakes he must avoid and giving him such assistance as will enable him to reach the goal of a correct knowledge of the english language it is not a grammar in any sense but a guide a silent signal-post pointing the way in the right direction the english language in a nutshell all the words in the english language are divided into nine great classes these classes are called the parts of speech they are article noun adjective pronoun verb adverb preposition conjunction and interjection of these the noun is the most important as all the others are more or less dependent upon it a noun signifies the name of any person place or thing in fact anything of which we can have either thought or idea there are two kinds of nouns proper and common common nouns are names which belong in common to a race or class as _man _city proper nouns distinguish individual members of a race or class as _john _philadelphia in the former case _man is a name which belongs in common to the whole race of mankind and _city is also a name which is common to all large centres of population but _john signifies a particular individual of the race while _philadelphia denotes a particular one from among the cities of the world nouns are varied by person number gender and case person is that relation existing between the speaker those addressed and the subject under consideration whether by discourse or correspondence the persons are _first _second and _third and they represent respectively the speaker the person addressed and the person or thing mentioned or under file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 6 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt consideration _number is the distinction of one from more than one there are two numbers singular and plural the singular denotes one the plural two or more the plural is generally formed from the singular by the addition of _s or _es _gender has the same relation to nouns that sex has to individuals but while there are only two sexes there are four genders viz masculine feminine neuter and common the masculine gender denotes all those of the male kind the feminine gender all those of the female kind the neuter gender denotes inanimate things or whatever is without life and common gender is applied to animate beings the sex of which for the time being is indeterminable such as fish mouse bird etc sometimes things which are without life as we conceive it and which properly speaking belong to the neuter gender are by a figure of speech called personification changed into either the masculine or feminine gender as for instance we say of the sun _he is rising of the moon _she is setting _case is the relation one noun bears to another or to a verb or to a preposition there are three cases the _nominative the _possessive and the _objective the nominative is the subject of which we are speaking or the agent which directs the action of the verb the possessive case denotes possession while the objective indicates the person or thing which is affected by the action of the verb an _article is a word placed before a noun to show whether the latter is used in a particular or general sense there are but two articles _a or _an and _the an _adjective is a word which qualifies a noun that is which shows some distinguishing mark or characteristic belonging to the noun definitions a _pronoun is a word used for or instead of a noun to keep us from repeating the same noun too often pronouns like nouns have case number gender and person there are three kinds of pronouns _personal _relative and _adjective a _verb is a word which signifies action or the doing of something a file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 7 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt verb is inflected by tense and mood and by number and person though the latter two belong strictly to the subject of the verb an _adverb is a word which modifies a verb an adjective and sometimes another adverb a _preposition serves to connect words and to show the relation between the objects which the words express a _conjunction is a word which joins words phrases clauses and sentences together an _interjection is a word which expresses surprise or some sudden emotion of the mind three essentials the three essentials of the english language are _purity _perspicuity and _precision by _purity is signified the use of good english it precludes the use of all slang words vulgar phrases obsolete terms foreign idioms ambiguous expressions or any ungrammatical language whatsoever neither does it sanction the use of any newly coined word until such word is adopted by the best writers and speakers _perspicuity demands the clearest expression of thought conveyed in unequivocal language so that there may be no misunderstanding whatever of the thought or idea the speaker or writer wishes to convey all ambiguous words words of double meaning and words that might possibly be construed in a sense different from that intended are strictly forbidden perspicuity requires a style at once clear and comprehensive and entirely free from pomp and pedantry and affectation or any straining after effect _precision requires concise and exact expression free from redundancy and tautology a style terse and clear and simple enough to enable the hearer or reader to comprehend immediately the meaning of the speaker or writer it forbids on the one hand all long and involved sentences and on the other those that are too short and abrupt its object is to strike the golden mean in such a way as to rivet the attention of the hearer or reader on the words uttered or written file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 8 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt chapter ii essentials of english grammar divisions of grammar definitions etymology in order to speak and write the english language correctly it is imperative that the fundamental principles of the grammar be mastered for no matter how much we may read of the best authors no matter how much we may associate with and imitate the best speakers if we do not know the underlying principles of the correct formation of sentences and the relation of words to one another we will be to a great extent like the parrot that merely repeats what it hears without understanding the import of what is said of course the parrot being a creature without reason cannot comprehend it can simply repeat what is said to it and as it utters phrases and sentences of profanity with as much facility as those of virtue so by like analogy when we do not understand the grammar of the language we may be making egregious blunders while thinking we are speaking with the utmost accuracy divisions of grammar there are four great divisions of grammar viz _orthography _etymology _syntax and _prosody _orthography treats of letters and the mode of combining them into words _etymology treats of the various classes of words and the changes they undergo _syntax treats of the connection and arrangement of words in sentences _prosody treats of the manner of speaking and reading and the different kinds of verse the three first mentioned concern us most file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 9 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt letters a _letter is a mark or character used to represent an articulate sound letters are divided into _vowels and _consonants a vowel is a letter which makes a distinct sound by itself consonants cannot be sounded without the aid of vowels the vowels are _a _e _i _o _u and sometimes _w and _y when they do not begin a word or syllable syllables and words a syllable is a distinct sound produced by a single effort of [transcriber s note 1-2 words illegible shall pig dog in every syllable there must be at least one vowel a word consists of one syllable or a combination of syllables many rules are given for the dividing of words into syllables but the best is to follow as closely as possible the divisions made by the organs of speech in properly pronouncing them the parts of speech article an _article is a word placed before a noun to show whether the noun is used in a particular or general sense there are two articles _a or _an and _the _a or _an is called the indefinite article because it does not point put any particular person or thing but indicates the noun in its widest sense thus _a man means any man whatsoever of the species or race _the is called the definite article because it points out some particular person or thing thus _the man means some particular individual noun a _noun is the name of any person place or thing as _john _london file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 10 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt _book nouns are proper and common _proper nouns are names applied to _particular persons or places _common nouns are names applied to a whole kind or species nouns are inflected by _number _gender and _case _number is that inflection of the noun by which we indicate whether it represents one or more than one _gender is that inflection by which we signify whether the noun is the name of a male a female of an inanimate object or something which has no distinction of sex _case is that inflection of the noun which denotes the state of the person place or thing represented as the subject of an affirmation or question the owner or possessor of something mentioned or the object of an action or of a relation thus in the example john tore the leaves of sarah s book the distinction between _book which represents only one object and _leaves which represent two or more objects of the same kind is called _number the distinction of sex between _john a male and _sarah a female and _book and _leaves things which are inanimate and neither male nor female is called _gender and the distinction of state between _john the person who tore the book and the subject of the affirmation _mary the owner of the book _leaves the objects torn and _book the object related to leaves as the whole of which they were a part is called _case adjective an _adjective is a word which qualifies a noun that is shows or points out some distinguishing mark or feature of the noun as a _black dog adjectives have three forms called degrees of comparison the _positive the _comparative and the _superlative the _positive is the simple form of the adjective without expressing increase or diminution of the original quality _nice file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 11 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt the _comparative is that form of the adjective which expresses increase or diminution of the quality _nicer the _superlative is that form which expresses the greatest increase or diminution of the quality _nicest _or an adjective is in the positive form when it does not express comparison as a _rich man an adjective is in the comparative form when it expresses comparison between two or between one and a number taken collectively as john is _richer than james he is _richer than all the men in boston an adjective is in the superlative form when it expresses a comparison between one and a number of individuals taken separately as john is the _richest man in boston adjectives expressive of properties or circumstances which cannot be increased have only the positive form as a _circular road the _chief end an _extreme measure adjectives are compared in two ways either by adding _er to the positive to form the comparative and _est to the positive to form the superlative or by prefixing _more to the positive for the comparative and _most to the positive for the superlative as _handsome _handsomer _handsomest or _handsome _more handsome _most handsome adjectives of two or more syllables are generally compared by prefixing more and most many adjectives are irregular in comparison as bad worse worst good better best pronoun a _pronoun is a word used in place of a noun as john gave his pen to james and _he lent it to jane to write _her copy with _it without the pronouns we would have to write this sentence john gave john s pen to james and james lent the pen to jane to write jane s copy with the file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 12 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt pen there are three kinds of pronouns personal relative and adjective pronouns _personal pronouns are so called because they are used instead of the names of persons places and things the personal pronouns are _i _thou _he _she and _it with their plurals _we _ye or _you and _they _i is the pronoun of the first person because it represents the person speaking _thou is the pronoun of the second person because it represents the person spoken to _he _she _it are the pronouns of the third person because they represent the persons or things of whom we are speaking like nouns the personal pronouns have number gender and case the gender of the first and second person is obvious as they represent the person or persons speaking and those who are addressed the personal pronouns are thus declined first person m or f sing i mine me plural we ours us n p o second person m or f sing thou thine thee plural you yours you n p o file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 13 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt third person m sing he his him plural they theirs them n p o third person f sing she hers her plural they theirs them n p o third person neuter sing it its it plural they theirs them n p o n b in colloquial language and ordinary writing thou thine and thee are seldom used except by the society of friends the plural form you is used for both the nominative and objective singular in the second person and yours is generally used in the possessive in place of thine the _relative pronouns are so called because they relate to some word or phrase going before as the boy _who told the truth he has done well _which gives me great pleasure here _who and _which are not only used in place of other words but _who refers immediately to boy and _which to the circumstance of his having done well the word or clause to which a relative pronoun refers is called the _antecedent file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 14 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt the relative pronouns are _who _which _that and _what _who is applied to persons only as the man _who was here _which is applied to the lower animals and things without life as the horse _which i sold the hat _which i bought _that is applied to both persons and things as the friend _that helps the bird _that sings the knife _that cuts _what is a compound relative including both the antecedent and the relative and is equivalent to _that which as i did what he desired i e i did _that which he desired relative pronouns have the singular and plural alike _who is either masculine or feminine _which and _that are masculine feminine or neuter _what as a relative pronoun is always neuter _that and _what are not inflected _who and _which are thus declined sing and plural sing and plural n p o who whose whom n which p whose o which _who _which and _what when used to ask questions are called _interrogative pronouns _adjective pronouns partake of the nature of adjectives and pronouns and are subdivided as follows _demonstrative adjective pronouns which directly point out the person or object they are _this _that with their plurals _these _those and _yon _same and _selfsame _distributive adjective pronouns used distributively they are _each _every _either _neither file c documents%20and%20settings/aemulus/desktop/how%20to%20speak%20and%20write%20correctly.txt 15 of 14011.16.06 14:59

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