Slips of Speech | Page 7

more general term.
Postal
Bryant would not have said, "I will send you a postal by to-morrow's mail." Postal card or post card would be better.
Practical, Practicable
These words are sometimes confounded. Practicable means "that may be done or accomplished," and implies that the means or resources are available; as, a practicable road, a practicable aim. Practical means "capable of being turned to use or account;" as, "The practical man begins by doing; the theorist often ends by thinking."
Predicate
This word is sometimes incorrectly used in the sense of form or base; as, "He predicated his statement on the information he had just received." Neither should it be used in the sense of predict; as, "The sky is overcast, and I predicate a storm tomorrow."
Prefer--than
"I prefer to walk than to ride." Say "I prefer walking to riding;" or, "I would rather walk than
ride." "To skate is preferable than to coast." Say "Skating is preferable to coasting."
Amount, Number
Amount applies to what is thought of in the mass or bulk, as money, wheat, coal. Number is used when we think of the individuals composing the mass, as men, books, horses, vessels.
Answer, Reply
An answer implies a question. We may reply to a remark or assertion. A reply is more formal than an answer.
Antagonize, Alienate, Oppose
The word antagonize should not be used in the sense of alienate; as, "Your proposition will antagonize many supporters of the measure." "The Senate opposed the bill which passed the House" is better than "antagonized the bill."
Anticipate, Expect
"The arrival of the President was hourly anticipated" is pompous. Use expected.
Any, At all
"He was so far from the speaker's platform that he could not hear any." Better "that he could not hear," or "hear at all," or "hear what was said."
Apparent, Evident
These words are often used interchangeably. That which is apparent may be what it appears to be, or it may be very different; that which is evident admits of no doubt. The same is true of apparently and evidently.
Prejudice
"He is not the best person for the position, but his many kindnesses to me prejudice me in his favor." We may be prejudiced against a person or thing, but cannot be prejudiced in favor. Use predispose.
Presume
This word is often employed when think, believe, or daresay would be better.
Pretend, Profess
"I do not pretend to be an orator." Pretend means to feign, to sham; as, "He pretends to be asleep," and should not be used when claim or profess would better suit the purpose.
Preventative
The correct form of the word is preventive, not preventative.
Previous, Previously
The adjective previous is often incorrectly used for the adverb previously; as, "Previous to his imprisonment he made a confession of his crime."
Promise, Assure
"I promise you we had a good time yesterday." Promise relates to the future, hence "I assure you," etc., would be better.
Propose, Purpose
To propose is to set before the mind for consideration; to purpose is to intend. "I propose sending my son to college" should be "I purpose," etc. "I propose that you go to college, my son." "Thank you, father, I accept the proposal."
Sparrowgrass, Asparagus
The word sparrowgrass, which is a corruption of the word asparagus, illustrates how readily the uneducated mind associates an unusual term with another that is familiar, and as the mental impression is received through the ear, and lacks that definiteness which the printed form would give, the new idea, when repeated, often assumes a picturesque, if not a ludicrous, form. Many of Mrs. Partington's quaint sayings furnish further illustration.
The following incident, from a Western paper, shows the successive stages in the farmer's mental operations from the familiar terms skin, hide, oxhide, up to the unfamiliar chemical term oxide, through which he was obliged to pass before he succeeded in making known his wants:
The man was in a brown study when he went into the drug store.
"What can we do for you?" inquired the clerk.
"I want black-- something of something," he said; "have you got any?"
"Probably we have," replied the clerk, "but you'll have to be more definite than that to get it."
The farmer thought for a moment.
"Got any black sheepskin of something?" he asked.
"No; we don't keep sheepskins. We have chamois-skins, though."
"That ain't it, I know," said the customer. "Got any other kind of skins?"
"No."
"Skins-- skins-- skins!" slowly repeated the man, struggling with his slippery memory. "Calfskin seems to be something like it. Got any black calfskins of anything?"
"No, not one," and the clerk laughed.
The customer grew red in the face.
"Confound it!" he said, "if it ain't a skin, what in thunder is it?"
"Possibly it's a hide?" suggested the clerk.
"That's it! That's it!" exclaimed the man.
"Have you got any black hides of something or anything?"
The clerk shook his head sadly as the man tramped up and down the store.
"Got any black cowhide of anything?" he asked, after a moment's thought.
The clerk's face showed a gleam of