American English. 



343 



ing active and especially reflexive verbs into neuters by dropping the 

 object, as, ^' Don't trouble " for " Don't trouble yourself."* It is true 

 that a tendency in this direction can be traced a long way back in the 

 history of the language. To repent, to endeavor^ and some other now 

 neuter verbs, were formerly reflexives ; one endeavored himself in the 

 same sense that we now apply ourselves, and repented himself 21,% we now 

 lethink ourselves. It is also true that a few alterations of this kind 

 not yet sanctioned by good usage, but occasionally heard, may be said 

 properly enough to be common to the two countries; *'l avail of this 

 opportunity," for "I avail myself of this opportunity," is one. But 

 I think any careful reader of the now current literature of England 

 and the United States will approve the opinion that our British breth- 

 ren are going much faster in this direction than are we. As long ago 

 as 1854 Miss Yonge wrote (iu Heartsease, Part II, chapter 10): 

 "Theodora flung away and was rushing off'." Charles Reade, whom 

 the astute Fitzedward Hall ranks among " the choicest of living Eng- 

 lish writers,"! is guilty of such phrases as Wardlaw whipped before 

 him" (Foul Play, chapter 15), Ransome whipped before it" ( Put 

 Yourself in his Place, chapter 31), [Little] "flung out of the room " 

 (same, chapter 32), and various others. These and similar incomplete 

 sentences, not at all uncommon in British books and periodicals, cer- 

 tainly strike the American ear as decided innovations, and constitute 

 a peculiarity of diction very rarely to be observed on this side of the 

 water. 



The English have also a practice, more pronounced by far than our 

 own, of abbreviating a good many words in their common talk. They 

 never call their consolidated government bonds anything but " consols," 

 or the process of hypothecation anything but '^hypothec." The 

 Zoological Gardens in London are commonly known as the Zoo, " 

 and a series of delightful popular concerts given every season in the 

 same city are euphoniously denominated the Monday pops." Hamp- 

 shire, not in writing only, but in speech as well, is " Hants," Bucking- 

 hamshire is Bucks," and Hertfordshire Herts." A similar liberty 

 is taken with the names of firms ; Smith & Co.," is often made to 

 do duty, even in formal business letters, for the established title, 

 "Smith, Brown & Robinson." One American establishment — of 

 somewhat British propensities, however — Messrs. Ticknor & Fields of 

 Boston, did at one time imitate this form of contraction, by gilding 



* " We do not trouble to inquire" — London Law Times, quoted in Albany Law Journal, 

 vol. 26, p. 121. 

 + Scribiier's Monthly, vol. 3, p. 701. 



