AMERICAN ENGLISH.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1032, 6 January 1882, Page 2

AMERICAN ENGLISH.

The American use of the word "quit" is peculiar. They do not limit the word, as we do, to the signification "take leave," In fact, I hum iiiversheard an American tise the word in that sense They generally use it as equivalent to "leave oft," or " stop." (In passing, one may notice as rather strange the circumstance that the word " quit," which properly means "to go away from," and the word "stop," which means "to stay," should both have come to be used as signifying to leave off") Thus Americans say " quit fooling " for " leave off playing the fool ; " quit singing," and so forth. To English ears an American use of the word "some" sounds strange — viz., as an adverb. An American will say, "I think some of buying a new house," or the like, for " I have some idea of buying," <fee. I have indeed heard the usage defended as partly correct, though assuredly there is not an instance in all the wide range of English literature which will justify it. So also many Americans defend as good English the use of the word "good " in such phrases as the following : — I have written that note good," for "well;" " that will do you good ; " and in other ways, all equally incorrect. Of course there are instances in which adjectives are allowed by custom to be used as adverbs, as, for instance, " right " for " rightly,' &c. ; but there can be no reason for substituting the adverb " good " in place of the adverb " well," which is as short a word, and at least equally euphonious. The use of " real " for "really," as "real angry," "real nice," is, of course, grammatically indefensible. An American seldom uses the word "stout" to signify "fat," saying generally " fleshy." again, for our English word " hearty," signifying "in very good health," an American will sometimes employ the singulai'ly inappropriate word "rugged." The use of the word " elegant " for " fine " strikes English ears as strange. For instance, if you say to an American, " This is a fine morning, he is likely to reply, "it is an elegant morning," or poihaps oftener by simply using the word "elegant." It is not a pleasing use of the word. — R. A'l Proctor, " Gentleman's Magazine."