OUR VERNACULAR. 
219 
OUR VERNACULAR: LOGICAL, GRAMMATICAL, 
AND GROTESQUE. 
SYLLABUS OF LECTURE BY T. WINTER-WOOD. 
(Read 21st February, 1889.) 
This paper was a resume, as far as the time-limit would allow, 
of the various errors of grammar and logic which, either from 
ignorance, carelessness, or indifference, so constantly disfigure our 
every-day conversation. The controversy which recently took 
place between the Western Morning News and the Saturday 
Review, with respect to the error made by the latter in using 
" lay " instead of " lie," was severely criticised, and a point 
claimed for Western journalism — the lecturer expressing his 
surprise that it had been necessary to notice such a time-worn 
vulgarism at all in the present state of cultured English. On the 
other hand, the boastful tone of some recent dilletante critics, in 
describing the English language as the " richest and finest in the 
world," was pointed out by comparisons with the French, and 
illustrated by phrases which were difficult to express clearly and 
grammatically in English, even with the powerful aid of Lindley 
Murray at our elbow. The most conspicuous of these exposed 
the weakness of our possessive pronouns. The letter H — that 
bete noire of so many of our suffering fellow-creatures — was 
discussed, and the faux pas connected with it was suggested to 
have its cause in a defect of the ear akin to that of colour- 
blindness to the eye — examples of various experiences, from 
investigators of the subject, being adduced. The question of 
a universal language was alluded to, with its aspirations and 
prospects. The recent introduction of Volapiik for commercial 
purposes w r as condemned as inappropriate, springing as it does 
from the harsh German, a wrong key-note. The grotesque side in 
the abuse of our vernacular was throughout made prominent by 
examples and anecdotes of a humorous character, which caused 
much amusement. 
VOL. x. Q 
