LANGUAGE 



191 



cian sees you eat anything that is not good for Agriculturist is to be preferred to agri- 



:ie says, 'It is poison!'' culturalist. The same is true of conn-rant ionist. 



.">. When several paragraphs arc quoted, use Ain't. This is not a contraction, and can- 

 double marks at the beginning of each para- not take the place of I'm not. 

 graph, ami at the end of the last paragraph only. Alike. This word should not be used with 



Apostrophe. 1. Used to mark the pos- j both, nor with both just, as in "These hats are 



sessivecase. John's. both alike" or "both just alike"; say, "These 



J. To show the contraction of words and , hats are alike." 



omission of letters: I'll, you'd, etc. All of. The of is a superfluity. "I have 



show the clipping of words in dialect : them all," not " I have all of them"; "Take it 



Hr wa' siiudn' to 'em. nil.'" not "Take all of it." 



I. To form plurals of letters, signs, and figures: All Over. All should modify the noun, 



There are twenty a's on this page. Count the and not the prepositional phrase in "The disease 



2's in this sum. Your x's or O's were not well spread over all the country," not "atf over the 



made. country " 



RIGHT USE OF SOME 

 COMMON WORDS 



A. Always repeat the article if you refer 

 to two objects, as, He has a black and a white 



Allege. Do not use this word as a syno- 

 nym for say or tell, as in "He alleges that the 

 engine ran sixty miles an hour." Instead, "He 

 says or tells us that," etc. 



Allow. This word is frequently misused 

 in the West and the South for think: to be of 



there is but one dog, say, He has a black opinion; to admit; as, " He allow his horse can 



beat yours." Instead of this say, "He thinks 



Abortive. A ridiculous perversion of this or is ; )f tne op i n i on that. etc. 



word is creeping into use through the newspapers. Almost Nearly. These two adverbs 



A lad was yesterday caught in the act of abor- should not be used indiscriminately. Alnu> 



, appropriating a pair of shoes." That is Lr . mls the ending as an act; nearly, its begin- 



abnrtin- that is untimely in its birth; and. by ninn. A man that receives an injury so severe 



figure of speech anything is abortive which is ,| 1:it he comes off with barely his life is almost 



brought out before it is well matured. Abor- killed; a man that escapes what would have 



should never be used in the sense of failure, killed him is nearly killed. These words are 



Accept Of. Never use the preposition correctly used in "I am almost dead with fa- 

 rthisverb., \\ e accept invitations, presents, ! t igue "; "I am almost done with my work"; 



and the like. f nearly ran over the child." 



Accept and Except. Accept means to 

 take when offered; except means to leave out, 

 to exclude. I accepted tne gift. All except two 

 will go. 



Accord. To accord means to render or In- 



slow upon another, as honor: therefore one unaided makes us happy. "This means of lo- 

 should never say. 'The information he desired | comotion is used by man only." 

 was accorded hiiu." Alternative. Do not use this when more 



\<1 minister. The man died from blows than two things are referred to. "You may 

 administered by the policeman. Oaths, medi- have the choice of three courses, not of three 

 cine, affairs of state are administered. Blows alternating. 



Alone Only. That is alone that is un- 

 accompanied; that is only, of which there is no 

 other. "Virtue only makes us happy" means 

 that nothing else can do it. If we say " Virtue 

 alone makes us happy." we mean that virtue 



"ilt. Always. Often used redundantly. "When 



\<Iopt. This word is often used instead of ever I see her. I think of mother." not " I 



'It- ><jx>n and of //; /*//.- : thus. "The meas- nln-ayx think of mother." 



-//*// by Congress as the result of this Ameliorated. " Her trouble* are greatly 



inquiry, will be productive of good." Better, \amelior<itl." .should be nn- ////. 



"The mea-ure- ,ltr'uh-il upon" etc. Instead of Among. "He wa- there nnwntj the rest'' 



"What cour-e -hall you nili^tt to get your |>:ty'.'" -lioiild be with the ; 



say, "What cour-e -'hall you (<il:> .' " !<-. In'tlie Among One Another. "They ex- 



ie may see "Wanted to <i<l<if>t changed votes among one anothir" should be 



A beautiful female infant." The advertiser- in'th one another. 



it, tp say that they wanted the child i Amount. \ -urpri-um nmmint 



d in their advertisement mindful. The feet ion has been readied" r-hould be \ 



word i- correctly u-ed in "The mea-ures pn> pri-ini: </ /'"' "' 'perleetioi 



i by the senator were </"/'/"/ by the com- An. \l\\a\- UM . not ! tore such words 



las heroic, historical, habitual 



AffM't. Vnd. Do not use nwl \- the particle 



\ l^j^t ;i \ ut. This word i- often used when /". " < 'oine (<> -ee me." not Come and 866 me." 



the speaker me:in- t<> provoke, irritate, or anger. 



tinually found fault with": "He in easily ag- 



'"/ 'irritai 

 Agrr.-. not use agree form/ 



a flat brick faende pierred by .i t \v windows. 

 t make an in-pirini: picture all will agree.' 1 

 all will admit. 1 ' 



And should never introduce a relative 

 unless it join- it to a coordinate relative clause. 

 e a dress worn by my aunt, nnd rchich is 



tin leave 



which. (See Rule 



1'J for the roinnia. under I'unetuati' 



Antecedent!*. Thi- word uned as a sub- 

 -tantivc means those jK-r-on- or thing* which 



forty -live years old." In t! 

 out and and use that instead of 



