Linguistic Discussions. 



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by a large majority. They forget that they are the ones to follow, and 

 not to lead in this matter. In other things in which they are authority 

 as experts they may lead unchallenged. But then again there is always 

 something in our language undetermined on which scholars as ex- 

 perts are divided. The wars of the dictionaries have been as eager, if 

 not as deadly, as the wars of the roses. Doubtless there are some words 

 upon which the only settlement is an agreement to disagree. But 

 there are many words that ought to have been eliminated from the 

 fight long ago, on which we are at variance. The statement of a sim- 

 ple rule will serve to introduce some of this kind. The rule is that a 

 foreign word, before it is naturalized, should be written in italics to 

 show it to be a foreigner, and that it should have the pronunciation 

 that good usage gives it in its native tongue. When, however, it lias 

 become naturalized so as to be written in Roman letters, it follows as 

 near as may be the laws of the language of its adoption. Thus envelope 

 italicized should have its French pronunciation onvelope, but the word 

 as we write it in Roman characters and use it as an English word, has no 

 more right to a French nasal than enemy,or engage, or a hundred others. 

 How would this sentence sound from the lecture forum, the French 

 nasal sound being given to the syllables in italics? "I am enchanted 

 to tell you that in the e/igagement with the enemy the entire army was 

 captured in the e/^virons of the city before darkness e?iveloped them." 

 The same rule demands that we should either spell depot with two p's 

 or pronounce it deepo. This refusal to yield to the laws of common 

 sense as well as the common law of the language is very awkward for 

 me to characterize as it deserves. But the rule, however, of assimilat- 

 ing foreign words to the language is a necessary and pitiless one. 

 Sooner or later all will have to yield to it. A lady of my acquaintance 

 has prophesied the day will come when people will say, " the debut of 

 Mr. So-and so was received with eclats of applause." And why not^ 

 since debriss* (debris) is already quite current ? The strongest opponent 

 of this thorough lingual incorporation — this domestication of foreign 

 words into the language, is doubtless fashion, which may be regarded 

 as one branch of '*all the rest" of the forces influencing pronunciation. 

 And in this case fashion is about synonymous with pedantry. 

 Fashion may dictate the cut of a garment, but it confronts a nobler 

 spirit than itself when it presumes to dictate to the genius of a lan- 

 guage. But such cowards are we all before it that we bend when we 

 should stand as firm and as straight as a monument. ^'Mon carrossc 

 ou et-il ?" said one of the Louis of France, when a lad, changing the 



* Pronounced dee-briss, with accent on first syllable. 



