PATTERSON ON NEWFOUNDLAND DIALECT. Ixi 
Bridge, pronounced brudge, is the word commonly used to denote a 
platform, though the latter word is known or coming into use, but they 
generally pronounce it flatform. 
Brief. A curious use of the word Urief is to describe a disease 
which quickly proves fatal. ‘The diphtheria was very brief there,” 
that is, it quickly ran its course ; the person died of it. 
In several dictionaries (Standard, Halliwell, Webster, ete.,) this word 
is given as meaning ‘rife, common, prevalent,” and is represented as 
specially applied to epidemic diseases. They also refer to Shakespeare 
as authority without giving quotations. Lartlett represents it as much 
used in this sense by the uneducated in the interior of New England 
and Virginia. Murray, in the New English Dictionary, gives the same 
meaning, but doubtingly, for he adds, ‘‘The origin of this sense is not 
clear. The Shakespearean quotation is generally cited as an example, 
but is by no means certain.” I presume to think that the assigning this 
meaning is altogether a mistake. By no rule of language can brief be 
made to mean rife. Weseeatonce, however, the expressiveness of the word 
as applied in the Newfoundland sense to an epidemic as making short 
work ofits victims. I must regard this, therefore, as the original mean- 
ing of the word in this application. At the same time we can see how 
the mistake may have arisen. An epidemic disease so malignant as to 
prove fatal quickly could scarcely but become prevalent where intro- 
duced, and its prevalence being on the minds of men, they would be apt 
to attach such a meaning to the description of its working, as brief, and 
then use the word in that sense. 
Similar to this is the use of the word /ate, applied to a woman lately 
married. ‘ The late Mrs. Prince visited us,” meaning the lady who had 
recently become Mrs. Prince. 
Chastise is used not as particularly meaning to punish either corpo- 
rally or otherwise, but to train for good. A father will ask the person 
to whom he is intrusting his son to chastise him well, meaning merely 
bring him up in a good way. But the more limited signification is 
coming into use. 
The word clever it is well known is used in different senses in 
England and New England. In the former it expresses mental power, 
and means talented or skillful ; in the latter it describes the disposition 
and means generous or good-natured. In Newfoundland it is used in 
quite a distinct sense. It there means large and handsome. It is 
