39/ i2^ T\/nA ''v.. I 1 :Rf SPELLING OKEN F\'C ^B Ebb flfiS -"5^ i:>'y. EVERYDAY ERRORS Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/everydayerrorsinOOpaynrich EVER Y 13 A Y ERRORS IN Pronunciation y Spellingy and Spoken English BY GERTRUDE PAYNE Teacher of Reading and Public Speaking m the State Normal School San Jose, California SAN FRANCISCO RICARDO J. OROZCO 1911 COPYRIGHT. 1911 BY RICARDO J. OROZCO SAN FRANCISCO uv :AT«0N DWPt CONTENTS Page Foreword 5 to 6 Few Vowel Sounds 7 Pronunciation 8 to 20 Type-words 21 to 28 Additional Lists 28 to 31 Spelling 32 to 37 Rules for Spelling 38 to 39 Spoken English . . . . . 40 to 48 54^123 ^''Ars est celare artem — true art consists in hiding art. ' ' To do things right without apparent effort — to be conscious of pronouncing words cor- rectly and of speaking correct English, without making others unpleasantly conscious of the fact — that were **a consummation devoutly to be wished"! "Then give to the world the best you have, And the best will come back to you." FOREWORD Most of the errors herein corrected have been everyday errors in my own classes, and this httle book is designed for the use of my students. No at- tempt has been made to compile ex- haustive lists, but simply to give prac- tical help to prospective teachers. To this end, pretty full explanations have in many cases been given, and often the wrong form, to emphasize, by con- trast, the right form. Words that have two acceptable pronunciations have for the most part been omitted from the lists; and to avoid repetition, words that appear in the pronouncing list have been omitted from the spell- ing list. Certain words, that present a problem in pronunciation repeated in many words of the same class, I have called type-words, and have empha- sized each by following it with a special list for practice. From the multitude of ''Common EVERYDAY ERRORS Errors/' copiously and sufficiently treated in more pretentious publica- tions, I have endeavored to select only those which have actually been com- mon in my personal work. For reference, and authority, I have used the latest editions of the Inter- national and Standard Dictionaries, and Phyfe's 12,000 Words Often Mis- pronounced. G. P. San Jose, California, April, 1911. ERRAllA-:.:-,', : Page , " 7 — In the Short e:not6^ ]^o feh;6,ul•..'... > -,• ; \ ; 8 — admirable should have short a in first syllable. 10 — before should have accent on last syllable. ' 'not beneficent' ' should read ' 'not be mf i senf 11 — daughter for pronunciation should be ter not ter. 13 — gather should have short a. 14 — hur raw' should have accent and not apostrophe. 16 — probably should have short 6, 18 — tracts should have short a. trav' el er the v was omitted. 19 — Westminster the accent on first syllable was omitted. 23 — begrudge should not have hard g in the pronunciation. 24 — quietly should have long ^ in first syllable. audience the last e should not be long e. 26 — music should have accent on first syllable. 27 — calamities should have intermedi- ate a in first syllable. shallow should be shdlV o for pro- nunciation. 34 — kindergarten the accent on first syllable was omitted. FEW VOWEL SOUNDS A FEW VOWEL SOUNDS TO Bli CAREFULLY NOTED a, long a, as in ate, canary, various a, short a, as in at, man, and, hand a, Italian a, as in arm, aunt, laugh a, intermediate a, as in ask, chance, master. This also * 'obscure a^', found in end syllables, as in a ca- ci d, and in other unaccented syl- lables a, circumflex a, as in air, chair, fairy a, hroad a, as in all, daughter, water The intermediate -a words are often- est mispronounced, and the hroad- a words next Short Cy found unsuspectedly in some syllables, must not to be sounded like long a: America — a mer' i ca cemetery — cem' e ter y peremptory — per' em to ry peruke — per uke' (or per' uke) Modified 6, is a sound between short in not and broad o in /or: God, mock The compound_ vowel sounds: u, equivalent to i-oo, and ow equivalent to a-oo: lute, not loot; counsel, not consul PRONUNCIATION a — always obscure; never long a in reading or speaking acacia — a ka' shi a, long a second syllable accept — ak sept', not to be confused with except acclimate — ak kll' mat, accent second syllable accompaniment — ak kiim' pa ni ment, five syllables accurate — ak' ku rat, type-word* for * 'cutting no syllable short that should be sounded distinctly, and giving every vowel its true value'' across — a kros' not a crost'. This 6 is the * 'happy medium'' between short 6 in not and broad 6 in dr actor — ak'ter, not akt'or; type-word'^ address — ad dress', always^ noun and verb admirable — ad'mirabl, type-word"^ Adonis — a do' nis, not a don' is adult — a dult', not ad' iilt aeriel — a e' ri al, not_ a' ri el again — a gen' not a gan'; so a genst' ague — a' gu, not ag, nor a' ger Alcott — air kut, not al' kot' alias — a' li as, not a li' as, nor al' i as ally — al li', both noun and verb ■'^Llsts of all type-^words follow this general list PEONUNCIATION almond — a'mund, not aV mund alpaca — al pak' a, not al a pak' a alternate — al'ternat, not airternat; noun and adjective, al ter'nat America — a mer' i ka; not a ma' ri ki amiable — a mi a bl, four syllables and — and, short a and sound d anemone — anem'o ne, not''a,n enemy'' angel — an' jel, not an' jul answer — an' ser, not short d any — en' i, not *1n'y nor ''an'y"; the same with many apparatus — ap pa ra' tus, not rat' us apricot — a' pri kot, not ap Arab — ar' ab, not a' rab archipelago — ar ki pel' a go, not arch architect— ar' ki tekt, not arch arctic — ark' tic, not ar'tik arithmetic — arith'metik,?io^rith'untik Asia — a' shi a, not a' zha asked — askt, not ast, nor ask, which is present tense: type-word* for inter- mediate d attacked — at takt', not at tak' ted athlete — ath' let, not ath' a let; so ath- let' ik and ath let' iks audacious — aw da' shus auxiliary — awg zil' ya ri Avon — a' von ay— I aye — a, meaning always; i, when it means yes babel— ba' bel, not babble bacteria — bak te' ri a ; type-word'^ for long e in second syllable *See lists of all type-njoords 10 EVERYDAY ERRORS bade — bad, not bad banana — ba na' na, not ban an' a banquet — bang' qwet Baptist — bap' tist, not bab' tist been — bin, not ben nor ben before — be' fore, not bu' fore; type- word^ for long e in first syllable beginning — be gin' ing, not be gen' ing beloved — beluv'ed, adjective and noun; the participle is be luvd' beneficent — be nef'i sent,.7^o^ be nef- i sent, nor ben e fish' unt Bethlehem — beth' le hem, not ham biography — bl og' ra fi, not bi nor he blackguard — blag'gard, not blak'gard Blackstone — blak'stun, not blak'stone' ; the same with Glad' stun bonnet — bonnet, -y^o^bun'it bouquet — boo ka', not bo' ka'; a very common error! Bowdoin — bo'dn (college) breeches — brich' ez, not brech' iz brethren — bretii' ren, not bruth' er en brooch — broch, not brooch _ broom — broom, type-word* for long oo Bryn-Mawr — brin mar' (college in Pa.) burglar — burg' lar, not burg' u lar buried — ber' id, not bur' id cannot — kan' not, not kan not' can't — kant, not kant catch — kach, not kech Caucasian — kaw ka' shan cemetery — sem' e ter i, not sem' e tri, nor sem' e ta' ri; type-word* for ac- cent only on first syllable *See list of type-nxjords PRONUNCIATION 11 certain — ser' tin, not ser' t'n chastisement — chas'tiz ment chauffeur — sho fer' Chelsea — chel'se Chicago — shi kaw' go, not chi ko' go children — chil'dren, not chirdern choose — chooz, not chuz chorus — ko' rus, not kor' us civil — siv' il, not siv' 1 clothes — klothz, not kloz column — kor um, not kbV yum comely — kiim' li, not kom' li company — kum' pa ni, not kump' ni, nor kum' pan e ; type-word* for fi- nal y like I conjure (to enchant) — kun' jer; to im- plore, kon jure' consummate (adjective) kon sum' mat cornet — kor' net, not cor net' cornucopia — kor nu ko' pi a corrupt — kor rupt', not ko rupt' council — kown' sil, counsel — kown' sel, not kon' siSl countenance — kown' te nance, not con covetous — kuv' et us cranberry — kran' ber i, not kram creek — krek, not krik crept — krept; sound the f, and the same with kept, swept, slept cupola — ku' po la, not ku' pa lo' daughter — daw'ter, r^o^dot'er; type- word* for broad a sounds draught — draft decade — dek' ade, not de kad' defect — de fekt', not de' fekt *See list of type-njoords 12 EVERYDAY ERROBS deficit — def i sit, not de fis' it Dickens's — dick' ens ez; pronounce the 's as separate syllable. Type-word"^ for possessive singular of manj proper names ending in s didactic — did ak' tik, not dl' dak' tick type-word"^ for short I in first syl lable discourse — dis kors', not dis' kors dissertation — dis'er ta'shun; not des doth — duth, not doth duel — du' el, not doo' ul; type-word"^ foi long u, pronounced like %-oo Edinburgh — ed' in bur o, not ed'in- burg efficient — ef fish' ent, not e fish' iint either — e' ther, better usage than i ther; and the same with neither eleven — e lev' n, not u'lev'n, nor lev'i elm — elm, noteVmn elocution — el o ku' shun, not el e ku' shun emblem — em' blem, not em' blum ; pro6 lem and Jerusalem, also enemies — en'e miz, not en'e mez; type word for ies pronounced like Iz English — ing' glish, not eng' glish enthusiasm — en thu' zi azm, not izm equipage — ek' wi paj err — er, not ar every — ev' er i, not ev' ri, unless con tracted to ev' ry evil — e' vl, tio^e'vil, except in chant ing or intoning exquisite — eks' kwiz it, not eks kwiz' i extant — eks' tant, not eks tant' *See list of type-ivords PRONUNCIATION 13.a facet — fas' et, not fa' set far — far, not fur; so farther fear — f er, not fir; so with tears, beard, cheerful, here, hear, etc. February — feb'ru a ri; not feb'u ari fifth— fifth, not fift figure — fig yer, not fig ger finance — fi nance'; soft nan shdl for — for, not fur, not fore forge — forj, not forj fountain — f own' tin, not fownVn; the same with mountain fragrant — fra' grant, not frag' runt from — from, not frum frontier — fron' ter, not frun ter' frontispiece — front' is pes gather — gath' er, not geth' er genuine — jen' yuin, not jen' u ine' geography — je og' ra fi, not jar' gra fy geometry — je om' e tri, not jom' e tri God — god; not god nor gawd, but the * 'golden mean'' gondola — gon' do la, nx)t gon do' la governor — guv' er ner, not guv' ner granary — gran' a ri, not gran' er i grievous — grev' us, not grev' i us guests — gests not guess; sound final consonants; type-word* for s-t-s harem — ha' rem harassed — har' ast heigh-ho — hi' ho, not ha' ho height — hite Hemans — hem' anz, not he' manz humble — hum' bl, not um' bl *See list of type-^words 14 EVERYDAY ERRORS humor — hu' mer, better than yu mer hundred — hun' dred, not hun' derd hurrah — hoo ra', not hur raw' hyacinth — hi' a sinth, not hi' a sint hydrangea — hi dran' je a hypocrisy — hi pok' ri si ice cream — Is' krem idea — I de' a, not i dea, nor i dee' ideal — I de' al, not \ de al ignoramus — ig no ra' mus illustrate — il lus' trat, not il' lus trat influence — in' flu ence, not in flu' ence inherent — in he' rent, not in har' ent inquiry — in kwi' ri, not in' kwi ri _ introduce — in tro duce', not in ter doos' instead — in sted', not in stid' interest — in' ter est, accent first syl- lable only, but not slight others; the same with In ter est ed and m ter est mg irreparable — ir rep' a ra bl irrevocable — ir rev' o ka bl Italian — i tal' yan; so I tdV Ik itinerary — i tin' er a ri not i tin' er i January — jan' yu a ri, not jen jaundice — jon' dis not jawn' dis just — just, not jest nor jist Kearney — kar' ni, not ker' ni khaki — ka' ke, not kak' i ^ kimono — ke mo' no, not kim o' na label — la' bel, not la' bl Latin — lat' in, not lat' n *See list of type-njjords PRONUNCIATION 15 laureate — law' re ate lest — lest, not least level — lev' el, not lev' 1 long-lived — long'-llvd, not long-livd' lower — low' er (to threaten), not lo' er; low as in allow lyceum — ll se'um maintenance — man' ten ance mankind — man kind' Mary — ma' ri, not mar' ri, nor mur' ri; but mar' i gold measure — mezh'yer, not maz'ure; so with pleasure and treasure mineralogy — min er al' o ji, not 61; so gen e al'o ji minute — min' it, not min'ut miracle — mir' a kl, not ma' ri kl mischievous — mis' che vus, not mis che' vus, nor mis che' vi us miserere — miz ere' re __ Missouri — mis soo' ri, not miz zoo' ri mistletoe — miz' 1 to, not mis' 1 to model — mod' el, not mod' 1 museum — mu ze' um naked — na' ked not nek' id neuralgia — nu ral' ji a, not nu ral' i ji newspaper — nuz' pa per, not nooz Niagara — nl ag' a ra; four syllables; often misspelled nobody — no' bod' i, not no' bud i; so any- body, everybody, somebody object — ob' jekt, not jikt; so subject of — ov, not uv often — of n, not of ten, nor awf ten 16 EVERYDAY ERBORS oppressed — op prest', not o' prest' ordeal — or' de al, not or de' al or — or, not are our — owr, not are pantomime — pan' to mim, not min; this word very often mispronounced partition — par ti' shun, not pe ti' shun partner — part' ner, not pard' ner partridge — par' trij, not pat' rij pencil — pen' sil, not pen' sul perhaps — per haps', not pre' haps, nor praps periodic^pe ri 6d' ik, not pir, nor par; the same with period perspiration — per spi ra'shun, not pres pianist — pi an' ist, not pe' an ist pillow — pil'lo, not pil'u; type-word"^ plague — plag, not pleg poem — po' em, not pom, nor po' um; so po' et and po' et ri poinsettia — poin set' i a, not poin set' a possess — poz zes', not po zes'. precedence — pre se' dence, always precedent — pres' e dent; pre se' dent when an adjective Presbyterian — prez bi te' ri an, not tir presentation — prez en ta' shun ^ presumptuous — pre zumpt yu us pretence — pre tence' pretty — prit' i, not pret' i, nor pur' ti probably — prob^ a bli, not prob' u li program — pro' gram, not pro' grum promiscuous — pr5 mis' ku us pronunciation — pro nun si a' shun prophesy — prof e si; (verb) *See list of type-nxjords PRONUNCIATION 17 pumpkin — pump' kin, not pung' kin put — poot, no^put quaff — kwaf, not kwaf nor kwaf quarrel — kwor' el, not kwarl qui vive — ke weV not kwe vev' quoted — kwo'ted, not coat'ed; the same with quotation really — re' al li, not re li recess — re ses', not re' ses recognize — rek' og niz record — (noun) rek'erd, -^o^ rek' ord recourse — re kors' research — re serch' resource — re sors' reveille — re val'ya; in U. S. Army, rev- ale' rid — rid, not red; get rid, not ''git red'' ridiculous — rid ik'yu lus, not re dik'u lus rinse — rince, not rence risk — risk, not resk robust — ro bust' not vo bust roil — roil, not rll; so hoil romance — ro mance', not yo_ mance Roosevelt — roz' velt, not rdos' velt rostrum — ros' triim, not ro' strum sacrifice — sak'rif iz; noun and verb; some authorities give last syl- lable Is sacrilegious — sak rile' jus; almost al- ways pronounced llj' its sagacious — sa ga' shus saith — seth, not sa' ith sarsaparilla — sar sa pa ril' a, five syl- ^ lables; not sas pril' a satin — sat' in, not sat' n scared — skard, not skart second — sek' und, not sek' unt 18 EVERYDAY EBRORS secretary — sek' re ta ri, not sek' e ta ri sha'n't — shant, not shant shew — sho; no longer shu. This and froward often mispronounced in Bible reading similar — sim' i lar, not sim' u lur since — not sence sixth — siksth, not sixt solace — sol' as, not so' las solemn — sol' em, not sol' um spirit — spir' it, not spirt, sperret, nor spir' ut stamp — stamp (with the feet), not stomp steady — sted' i, not stid'i stint — stint (a task), not stent subtle — sut'l; subtile, the same; or per- haps better, sub' til suburb — sub' urb, not su'burb sudden — sud' en, not_sud'n supple — sup' 1 not soo' pi, nor s66' pi surprise — stir prlz', not sup priz' syrup — sir 'up, notswc'w^; spelled sir- up, and pronounced the same the — the before vowel sounds; other- wise thu theatre — the' a ter, not the a' ter tiny — tl' ni, not te ni, nor tin i to — too before vowel sounds; to eat, etc. together — too geth'er, not too gath'er toward — to' erd, not toward'; so towards tracts — tracts not tracks travel — trav'el, not trav'l; and tra' el- er, not trav' ler traverse — trav' ers, nx)t tra vers' tremendous — tre men' dus, not jus PEONUNCIATION 19 trespass — tres'pas, not tres pas', ex- cept in chanting truths — truths, not truthz Tuesday — tuz' da, not tooz' di umbrella — um brel' la; not um ber el' a unaccented — un ak sent' ed, not un- ak' sent id unto — un' too, not un too', nor on' too; also into should be in'too, not in too' usage — yu'zaj, not yus'ij usually — yu'zhu al i, not yu'zhal i usurp — yu zurp' , not yu surp' vagary — va ga' ri, not va' ga ri vanquish — vang' kwish, ?io^ van' kwish vaudeville — vod' vil vehement — ve' he ment Venezuela — ven ez we' la, not ven zu- e'la vessel — ves' sel, not ves' 1 volume — vol' yum, not vol' yum wander — won' der, not wiin' der; and won' der ing, not wond' ring wanted — wawnt' ed, not wond' was — woz, not wuz water — waw' ter, not wot' er well — wel, not wal, nor wool were — wer, not ware Westminster — west min'ster, not west- min' is ter wharf — hwarf, not warf ; type-word"^ wistaria — wis ta' ri a, not wes te' ri a with — with (prep.), not with; the th must be vocalized *See list of type-njoords 20 EVEEYDAY ERRORS wonder — wiinder, not wan' der wont — wunt; but won't is wont Worcester — woos' ter ; commonly woos' ter wrath — rath, not rath Xantippe — zan tip' e yacht — yot, nx)t yat yonder — yon' der, not yen' der, nor yun der youths — yooths, not yoothz zoology — zo 51' o ji, not zoo 61' o ji "^ TYPE-WORDS *'Give every vowel its true value": accurate — ak' yu rat bakery — ba' ker i botany — bot' an i complimentary — kom pli men' ta ri considerable — kon sid' er a bl correctly — kor rekt' li different — dif fer ent elementary — el e men' ta ri gallery — gal' er i generally — jen' er al i heliotrope — he' li o trop history — his' to ri honorable — on' er a bl laboratory — lab' o ra to ri laudanum — law' da num library — ll' bra ri mackerel — mak' er el memory — mem' o ri mercury — mer' ku ri mystery — mis' ter i parliamentary — par li men' ta ri participle — part' i si pi rhetoric — ret' o rik temperament — tem' per a ment valuable — val' yu a bl variegate — va' ri e gat veterinary — vet' er in a ri victory — vik' to ri 22 EVERYDAY ERBORS Final or like er: actor — ak' ter curator — ku ra' ter creditor— kred' it er debtor — det' er educator — ed' u ka ter error — er' er factor — f ak' ter legislator — lej ' is la ter metaphor — met' a f er proprietor — pro pri' e ter respirator — res' pir a ter solicitor — so lis' i ter testator — tes' ta ter a6Ze- words accented on first syllable: admirable — ad' mir a bl applicable — ap' pli ka bl comparable — kom' pa ra bl despicable — des' pik a bl explicable — ex' plik a bl formidable — for' mid a bl hospitable — hos' pit a bl lamentable — lam' en ta bl Intermediate-d words: asked not askt nas'ty blast not blast pass cast not kast past class not klas task ghastly not gast' le vast glass not glas dance grass not gras chance last not last advance master -^0^ master after mast not mast France TYPE-WORDS 23 Long e in second syllable bacteria — bak te' ri a criterion — kri te' ri un deteriorate — de te' ri er at experience — ex pe' ri ence interior — in te' ri er material — ma te' ri al superior — su pe' ri er Long he in first syllable because — be kawz', not bu kuz' before — be for', not bu for' begrudge — be grug' behind — be hind', not bu hind' behold — be hold' not bu hold' believe — be lev^ not blev' belong — be long', not blong beneath — be neth' beware — be war' Long sound of oo broom, izo^J^room, not brum food, not food foolish, not fool' ish noon, not noon, nor nun poor, not pore roof, not roof, nor riif room, not room, nor rum root, not root, common error ! spoon, not spoon nor spun soon, not soon very common error woof, not woof 24 EYEBYDAY ERRORS Words of several syllables, accented only on the first. — But one should give all the syllables their full value, unless one is English, and naturally slights some syllables: cemetery — sem' e ter i dictionary — dik' shun a ri dysentery — dis' en ter i monastery — mon' as ter i ordinary — or' din a ri stationery — sta' shun er i Final y like ^, not like e company — kiim' pa ni enemy — en' e mi jollity— jol' i ti literally — lit' er al li merrily — mer' ri li novelty — nov' el ti penalty — pen' al ti quietly — kwi' et li Broad-a sounds.— This is a very im- portant list: auction — awk' shun audience — aw' di ence autobiography— aw to bi og' ra fi autumn — aw tum broad — brawd brought — brawt caught — kawt daub— dawb TYPE-WORDS 25 fault — fawlt, not f51t haughty — haw' ti naught — nawt; so with naw' ti ought — awt; aught, the same sought — sawt talk — tawk taught — tawt, not toil thought — tha wt wrought — rawt, not rot! Possessive singular of proper names ending in s. Good use seems to favor adding both the apostrophe and s: Cross's ''Life of George Eliot '^ Dickens's *'Dombey and Son'' Hemans's ''Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers'' Holmes's ''Guardian Angel" Keats' s "Endymion" Short ^ in last syllable: April — a'pril, not a' prul civil — siv' il, not siv' ul Philip — fir ip, not fil' up pilgrim — pil' grim, not pil' grum turnip — tur' nip, not turn' up victim — vik' tim, not vik' tum vigil — vij' il, not vij' ul Short I in middle syllable: attitude — at' i tud, not at' u tood California — kal i for' ni a, not kal a irrigate— ir' ri gat, not ir' ru gat justify — jus' ti fl universe — yu' ni vers 26 EVERYDAY EREORS pessimist — pes' si mist matinee — mat i na' _ solitude — sol' i tud, not sol' u tood ludicrous — lu' di krus possible — pos' si bl Short ^ in first syllable didactic — did ak' tik digestion — di jes' chun digression — di gresh' un diploma — di plo' ma director — di rek'ter diverge — div erj' diversion — div er' shun divert — di vert' minute — mi nut' Long Uy like I' -do absolute — ab' so lut, not loot culinary — ku' li na ri due — du; and du/ty Luke — luk not look music — mu zik nude — nud numerous — nu'mer us pseudo — su' do pursue — per su' _ student — stu' dent ?io^_stoodent stupid — stu' pid not stoopid suit — sut tube — tub tulip — tu'lip tumult — tu' mult_ tune — tun, not toon tutor — tu' ter TYPE-WORDS 27 Also: dew renew jew slew knew view few chew hew flew mew clew Words ending in ies, pronounced like Iz: enemies — en'emiz calamities — ka lam' i tiz injuries — in' ju riz parodies — par' o diz perplexities — per plex' i tiz capabilities — ka pa bil' i tiz deficiencies — de fish' en siz Sound final sts: guests — gests, not guess nests, not nes blasts priests, not pres hosts protests, not pro tes' artists ghosts, not gos forests wrists, not ris harvests posts, not pos Romanists resists, not re zis' tourists ow not to sound like il: pillow — pil' lo swallow yellow — yel' lo willow fellow — f el ' lo widow window — win' do mellow shallow — shad/o hollow to-morrow — too mor' ro bellow 28 EVERYDAY ERROBS Also words ending in o: potato, not pu ta' ii Colorado tomato, not tu ma' ta Ohio mosquito, ?io^moske'tu piano wh pronounced like hw: wharf — hwarf, not warf what — hwot, not wot, when — hwen, not wen where — hwar, not wear white — hwit, not wight whisper — hwisper, not wis' per whittle — hwit' 1, not wit' 1 whig — hwig, not wig while — hwll, not wile whether — hweth' er, not weather whack — hwack, not wack whither — hwither, not wither why — hwi, not y THE FOLLOWING LISTS SHOULD ALSO BE STUDIED shr not to be like sr: shred, not sred shrew, not sroo, but shru shriek, not srek shrimp, not srimp shrink, not srink shrivel, not sriv' 1 shroud, not sroud shrub, not srub shrug, not srug shrunken, not srunk' n ADDITIONAL LISTS ?9 Do not pronounce ed like id or ud', nor eth like ith or i^^/^ ; proceedecJ lead?^/^ educatgc? restore^/t resulted heWeYeth saluted aske^/^ toasted! comg^/^ visited seeke^/^ waitecJ findeit/^ Do not pronounce ness like ntss ; nor less like i'iss : good'^&s helpi&s righteousiigss merciless foolish'^ess sleepZess frankness hopeZess highTtess lifeless kindTtess nerveless mad'^^ess restless Do not pronounce ent like unt — this e is what may be called an obscure short e; it has not the full value of e in met: attachment moment government announcement commandment commencement president commitment management regent opponent banishment Do not pronounce es like iz, but like ez: bridges — bridg' ez, not bridg' iz ashes ditches dishes dredges 30 EVERYDAY EERORS Do not pronounce est like ist, nor et like it — the e is obscure: dearest, not dear' ist basket, not bas' kit bucket earnest fairest honest purest sweetest quiet casket Do not pronounce ing like in : singing, not sing' in something, not sum' thin swinging, not swing' in sewing, not so' in drawing, not draw' in thinking, not think' in Be careful to sound final consonants, particularly d, and nd had, not say ''hat to'' for had to landlord, not Ian' lord thousand, not thouz' n used, not yust friendship, not fren' ship windpipe, not win' pip handshake kindness rind sand-pile errand ADDITIONAL LISTS 31 Be careful not to blend, that is to lap a final letter, or sound, over on the next word. This occurs most frequently with words ending in t or d, followed by the pronoun you: ''Let no^ your heart,'' not chure '''Tis time to star^, you know,'' not chew ''I would have told you,'^ not tol jew ''Men shall persecute 7/o^6" "As I have loved you'^ SPELLING Syllabication is very important as an aid to correct spelling, and should re- ceive much more attention than it does. accidentally — ac ci dent' al ly; five syl- lables accommodate — ac com' mo date; two c's, two m's affect — affect'; not to be confused with effect affiliate — af fil' i ate; one I alcohol — al' co hoi all right — two words; not alright allusion — al lu' sion; not to be con- fused with illusion altogether — al to geth' er; not to be confused with all together annual — an' nu al; two n'^ anonymous — a non' y mous appetite — ap' pe tite; two p's appropriate — ap pro' pri ate bachelor — bach' e lor battalion — bat tal' ion; two f^s, one I benefited — ben' e fit ed; one t bilious — bil' ious; one I Britain — Brit' ain; a-i-n, and one t bureau — bu' reau business — busi' ness (biz' ness) SPELLING 33 calendar — cal' en dar canvas — can' vas, a coarse cloth canvass — can' vass, to solicit capital — cap' i tal, city Capitol — Cap' i tol; building Caribbean — Car ib be' an; one r, two 6's chaparral — chap ar ral'; two r's chaperon — chap' er on; better without the e Christian — Chris' tian, i-a-n Cincinnati — Cin cin na'ti, two n's, one i college — col' lege; no d in the word connoisseur — con nois seur' conscientious — con sci en' tious convenience — con ven' ience correspondent — cor re spond' ent courageous — cou ra' geous currant — cur' rant, fruit current — cur' rent, in stream delicious — de li' cious description — de scrip' tion; not dis dessert — des serf development — de vel' op ment; no e after ^ disappointment — dis ap point' ment, one s, two p's; appointment with the prefix dis ecstasy — ec' sta sy effective — ef feet' ive; not af embarrassing — em bar' rass ing; two r's, two s's emigrate — em' i grate, to go out of a country English— Eng lish; never with small e erysipelas — er y sip' e las 34 EVERYDAY ERRORS exhilarate — ex hil' a rate (egz il') facsimile — fae sim' i le Fahrenheit — Fah' ren heit fascinate — fas' ci nate Filipino — Fil i pi' no; the feminine ends with a flannel — flan' nel; two -^^s, one I forty "four — for' ty-four; all these words from twenty-one to ninety- nine are hyphen words gauge — a before u Gibraltar — Gi bral' tar, not ter grammar — gram' mar, not e-r hallelujah — hal le lu' jah, or iah hemorrhage — hem' or rhage hygiene — hy' gi ene Iliad — ir 1 ad; one Z immigrate — im' mi grate, tocomem^o a country incandescent — in can des' cent initiation — in i ti a' tion inflammation — in flam ma' tion judgment — judg ment; better without the e kindergarten — kin der gar' ten, not garden labyrinth — lab' y rinth led — past tense of lead loose — not bound; or to unbind lose — to mislay (one's book or purse) mademoiselle — mad em oi selle' SPELLING 35 Manila — Ma nil' a; one I for city mantel — man' tel (shelf) melancholy — mel' an chol y moccasin — moc' ca sin misspelled — mis spell'; spell and pre- fix mis mucilage — mu' cil age naphtha — naph' tha necessarily — nee es sa' ri ly nickel — not nickle noticeable — no' tice a ble; retain e nuisance — nui' sance occasionally — oc ca' sion al ly; two c's, one s Oklahoma — Ok la ho' ma omniscience — om nis' cience (nish) opportunity — op por tu' ni ty origin — or' i gin parallel — par' al lei paralysis — pa ral' y sis parliamentary — par lia men' ta ry paroxysm — par' ox ysm peaceable — peace' a ble pedler — ped' ler; or lar, or peddler permanent — perm' a nent personnel — per son nel' Philippines — Phil' ip pines; one I, two p's pleasant — pleas' ant postponement — post pone' ment preceding — pre ced' ing; one e in sec- ond syllable prejudice — prej' u dice prevalent — prev' a lent primitive — prim' i tive 36 EVERYDAY ERRORS principal — prin' ci pal, noun and ad- jective principle — prin'ci pie, noun ;rareZ?/ verb privilege — priv' i lege; no a in the word proceeding — pro ceed' ing; two e's professor — pro fes' sor; one/, two s's promissory — prom' is so ry psychical — psy' chic al psychological — psy cho log' ic al quandary — quan' da ry quarantine — quar' an tine querulous — quer' u lous queue — ku (Chinaman's braid) recommend — rec om mend', one c, two m's remember — re mem' ber reminiscence — rem i nis'cence resurrection — res ur rec' tion resuscitate — re sus' ci tate rhapsody — rhap' so dy rhythm — one syllable schedule — sched' ule separate — sep' a rate singeing — singe' ing souvenir — sou ve nir' speech — no a spring — small s, unless personified; the same with all the seasons statue — Stat' ue, a plastic figure stature — stat' ure, natural height of man statute — stat' ute, a law^ supercilious — su per cil' i ous surely — sure' ly suspicious — sus pi' cious SPELLING 37 Thackeray — Thack' er ay; e-r, a-y thoroughly — thor' ough ly tongue — not tounge tragedy — trag e dy trousseau — trous seau' truly — tru' ly twelfth — no v in the word to, prep.; too, adv, ; two, adj. tyranny — tyr' an ny, two 9^'s usually — us' u al ly until — un til'; one I vaccinate — vac' ci nate; two c's, one n vacillating — vac' il late; one c, two Ts Valenciennes — Va len ci ennes' variegate — va' ri e gate ventilate — ven' ti late; one I village — vil' lage; not to be confused with carrtage and marrtage villain — vil' lain; a-i-n vinegar — vin' e gar Wednesday — Wednes' day (wens) Wellesley — Welles' ley West — capital TT when part of country; the same with East, North, South women — wom' en (wim' en) Yokohama — Yo ko ha' ma; not to be confused with Oklahoma A very common error in writing is the omission of the apostrophe, and the misplacing of it for the plural pos- sessive: ''four years work in English'' — or ''three year's work in Latin; ''/<^''^ four years' work, and three years' work. RULES FOR SPELLING At least two of the most common rules for spelling should be learned — the Rule for Doubling^ and a general Final-e Rule — and made use of in everyday spelling. RULE FOR DOUBLING Monosyllables and words accented on the last syllable, when they end with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double their final letter before a suflSx beginning with a vowel. Monosyllables: plan — planned rob — rob6ed sin — sinmng sum — summed trot — trotting Words accented on last syllable: begin — beginmng demur — demurrer occur — occurred prefer — preferring refer — referred RULES FOR SPELLING 39 FINAL-E RULE . Final ^ of a primitive word is dropped before a suffix beginning with a vowel; retained before a suffix beginning with a consonant. Dropped: come — coming pure — purity tame — tamable write — writing Retained: care — careful large — largely one — oneness stale — staleness The e-i and i-e words should be '^learned by heart. '' This old rhyme may be a help: *'It is '^ before e, Except after c; Or when sounded like a As in neighbor and weigh. ' ' ^ before e^^ ''e before V believe conceive grieve deceive niece relieve perceive receive siege receipt sieve seize wield weird SPOKEN ENGLISH Aggravate, for exasperate. Say '*I was so exasperated/^ or 'Vexed/' not aggravated — unless you mean that you were made to weigh more! Balance, for remainder, or rest. Not ''The balance of the class/' or of the time; say, rather, the remainder of the class — and the rest of the time. Case constructions. The most in- sidious errors are: The objective in- stead of the possessive before verbal nouns; as, "There is no use of me go- ing, ' ' for my going. Nominative after verbs or prepositions when the objec- tive is required; as, "She invited sister and I to go,'' or "The invitation was for sister and /." It should be me in both instances. ' ' Between you and /' ' is a common error. And beware of this construction: "A person whom I thought was going to do well." Whom, subject of was going, should of course be who, in the nominative case. Considerable is an adjective, and should not be used for the adverb con- siderably. Not "It has helped me considerable/' but considerably. Different should be followed by from, and not by to or than. Not SPOKEN ENGLISH 41 ''This work is different than I thought it would be/' but different /rom what I expected. Each, every and any, when followed by one or hody, prove troublesome often. Not ''Every one of them are of the 400''— but is. The same with either and neither; they should be fol- lowed by singular verbs. Expect, which means to look for- ward to, should not be used in speak- ing of present or past events. Not "I expect I do walk badly," nor "I ex- pect you had a good time." Say sup- pose, or suspect Fine better not be used as an ad- verb. Not "I like it fine.'' And do not answer "How are you?" with "I Sim fine.'' ("Let another man praise thee," etc!) From, for with. Not "I took Latin from Miss S," but with. Or, "I studied Latin under Miss S." Get to go; "I did not get to go" is an inelegant way of saying "I was unable to attend;" or "I could not go." Graduate, referring to persons, is better used in the passive voice. ' ' He was graduated from Harvard." A person cannot graduate himself, so why say "I graduated in 1910?" He 42 EYEEYDAY ERROES must be graduated, by Faculty and Board of Trustees. Guess, for think, is a very common error: ''I guess I shall have to refer to my book, ' ' f or ' ' I think I shall, ' ' etc. Hope, which looks always to the future, should not be used in such ex- pressions as ''I hope I do find it,'' or '*I hope he doesn't forget." Say *'I hope I shall find it;'' and ''I hope he will not forget." If for whether. Not **I do not know if I know my lines or not," but ''whether I know," etc. Incidence, not to be confused with instance or incident. Not ' 1 want to tell you of a little incidence that hap- pened," hut incident Or, ''I will tell an instance of that kind." Infinitive, — split or cleft infinitive. This much discussed construction seems to be growing in favor, but still it is awkward in most cases of everyday speech. * ' I have not been able to really understand this work" — say ''really to understand." "I have tried always to be on time" is better than ''I have tried to always be on time." Less *for fewer; Not "Less than fifty persons came," hut fewer. SPOKEN ENGLISH 43 Lie and Lay, Try to distinguish between these much misused verbs. Not *'He laid down and slep/' but lay down and slept. Not ''The books are laying on the table/' but lying there. Like as a conjunction. Not ''Walk just like I do/' but as. You may say "He talks like a parrot," but not "like a parrot does/' Also, "I feel like I can't sit up" and "It looks like it is going to rain" are distressingly common errors. Say as if I Most for almost. Not ''Most every time I recite I make that mistake," but almost. (This is a very common error) . Much better not be omitted after too or very in such expressions as "I was too excited to listen," or "The car was very croivded.'' Say "too much excited," etc. Myself should not be used in the nominative case as subject of verb. Not. "My cousin and myself went to the play," but "My cousin and /." Nicely is popularly misused. * ' How do you do?" ''Nicely, thank you" —or just "Nicely.'' Better say Well! Ones can usually be avoided. "These flowers are fresher than the ones I brought yesterday, ' ' Say ' ' than those I brought." 44 EVERYDAY ERRORS Only is often misplaced. It is safe to place only^ immediately before the word it modifies. Not ''I have only been here a few days/' but *'been here only a few days/' *'I shall only stay till recess" should be ''I shall stay only till recess.'' Plural verb when speaking of a book the title of which is plural. Not *'Are Gulliver's Travels in?" and '* Where are Finley's American BirdsV\ but use is in each case. Quite, meaning wholly, entirely, should not be used when a little is meant. Not ''Quite a ways," but a little way, or some distance. Say way, also, and not waySy in the singular, with a. Raise and rise must not be confused. Make the distinction between transi- tive and intransitive, the same as with lay and lie. Not ''Raise on your toes," but rise. And ''raise your hand." Real as an adverb. One of the late dictionaries gives real as an adverb, but such expressions as *'Have a real good time," are inelegant. Very no doubt is overworked, but we are safe in using it. Be real and be brave, but not ''real brave"! Respectfully and respectively. Be careful not to interchange and mis- SPOKEN ENGLISH 45 use these words: Not *' Yours respec- tively ,'' and ''They were graduated in the years 1907 and 1909 respectfully,^^ but vice versa. Shall and will need not give so much trouble as they do. Just use shall for simple futurity: Not ''I wonH need my rubbers/' and ''I wonH be able to come to-morrow/' but sha^nH, And when asked if you will bring a book, don't say ''Yes, I shall, but will. Then do not say to any one of whom you do not wish to ask the favor, ' ' Will you be here after school ? ' ' Say, rather, ''Shall you he'' etc. And do not say "I shall now read," as shall must have futurity. Will expresses, or may express, wish, intention, or willingness, and it is better to say "I wUl read from" — or "I will read the"— etc. Some for somewhat, or a little. Not "He is some better," but some- what better. And "I play a little,'^ not "I play some.'' So not as, in negative comparisons. "This is not nearly so long as I ex- pected" is better than "This is not near as long. ' ' Start in for begin or commence. " If I start in to tell you ' ' would better be " If I begin ' ' etc. ' ' I started in to go to school. ' 'Say ' '1 6e^a^togotoschool, " or "I commenced going to school." 46 EVERYDAY ERBORS Those kind and these kind, for that and this kind, or those and these kinds, seem almost too common errors to be mentioned here. Try and not to be used for try to. ''I will try to be here early/' not '^I will try and come/' Verbs in present tense used for past. Perhaps the most grievous errors are in the use of begin, come, run, and see. Not * 'And then I begin to see he was gaining on me/' but ''I began to see" etc. And ''when I come upstairs you had gone home/' should be "when I came/^ "Then I run as fast as I could" — instead of "I ran as fast" etc. "But I see him coming before I reached the top" for "I saw him com- ing." These serious errors occur most frequently in offhand speaking, and in reporting what took place in past time. We, as object of preposition. Not "Several of we girls went on the ex- cursion," but "Several of us girls." Well, when beginning to speak. Do not habitually preface your remarks with "Well— or still worse, "Wool" or "Wur';nor with "Say;" nor with the popular but ill-timed "Listen"! Without, as a conjunction. Not "I can't talk without you all keep still and listen/' but ''unless you keep still." SPOKEN ENGLISH 47 You Avas is always wrong. Say ''Were you there?'' And ''You were here early.'' Finally, reversing the usual order, the worst has been saved for the last ! I says It don't There's four mistakes Any person can correct them if they try These are among the most serious errors in our spoken English to-day. I says, occurs most often in story- telling, or in otherwise reporting things that happened in past time. Not ''And then she says 'Who's here?' and I says, 'Tim. ' " Use said. He says, to represent past time, and they says, are equally bad. We need only to expand the contrac- tion don't to be convinced that he don't, she don't, that don't are as bad as it don't. Use doesn't. Think of what is to follow, when you begin a sentence with There is — whether a singular or a plural subject. Say "There were four mistakes, " not "There was four," etc. Any person — if they is, perhaps, the most common error of all. Some day we may have a new pronoun, in the common gender, to use in such sen- tences — thon, or some more euphon- ious word — but until we do have it we must take care in the use of those we have. It seems simple, and easy enough, to think to follow person, or 48 EVERYDAY EREORS any other singular antecedent, by a singular pronoun to represent it — he, or he or she; but preferably he. If anybody has the book will he bring it to the desk ? Every one must do his best ! Any person can correct the everyday errors herewith concluded if he or she will try ! VA 04415 543t23 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY VbKYUAY ,v?"/ ( M