Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Odious vulgarisms
"19. Ink, uncle, concord, concourse, concubine; are pronounced by Walker, ingk, ungkl, kongkord, kongkorse, kongkubine; and these odious vulgarisms are offered for our adoption. There can be no apology for such attempts to corrupt our language." Introduction, pg. lvii.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Jehovah
JE-HO'VAH, n.
The Scripture name of the Supreme Being, Heb {}. If, as is supposed, this name is from the Hebrew substantive verb, the word denotes the PERMANENT BEING, as the primary sense of the substantive verb in all languages, is to be fixed, to stand, to remain or abide. This is a name peculiarly appropriate to the eternal Spirit, the unchangeable God, who describes himself thus, I AM THAT I AM. Ex. iii.
I like the capitalization in this entry.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
WEBSTER ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
“The United States commenced their existence under circumstances wholly novel and unexampled in the history of nations. They commenced with civilization, with learning, with science, with constitutions of free government, and with that best gift of God to man, the Christian religion. Their population is now equal to that of England; in arts and sciences, our citizens are very little behind the most enlightened people on earth; in some respects, they have no superiors; and our language, within two centuries, will be spoken by more people in this country than any other language on earth, except the Chinese, in Asia, and even that may not be an exception.” (Preface, pg. vii)
“If the language can be improved in regularity, so as to be more easily acquired by our own citizens, and by foreigners, and thus be rendered a more useful instrument for the propagation of science, arts, civilization and Christianity ...” (Preface, pg. viii)
“If the language can be improved in regularity, so as to be more easily acquired by our own citizens, and by foreigners, and thus be rendered a more useful instrument for the propagation of science, arts, civilization and Christianity ...” (Preface, pg. viii)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Humanities, and so forth
HU'MAN-IST, n.
1. A professor of grammar and rhetoric; a philologist; a term used in the universities of Scotland.
2. One versed in the knowledge of human nature. Shaftesbury.
HU-MAN-I-TA'RI-AN, n. [L. humanus, humanitas.]
One who denies the divinity of Christ, and believes him to be a mere man.
HU-MAN'I-TY, n. [L. humanitas; Fr. humanité.]
1. The peculiar nature of man, by which he is distinguished from other beings. Thus Christ, by his incarnation, was invested with humanity.
2. Mankind collectively; the human race. If he is able to untie those knots, he is able to teach all humanity. [Unusual.] Glanville. It is a debt we owe to humanity. S. S. Smith.
3. The kind feelings, dispositions and sympathies of man, by which he is distinguished from the lower orders of animals; kindness; benevolence; especially, a disposition to relieve persons in distress, and to treat with tenderness those who are helpless and defenseless; opposed to cruelty.
4. A disposition to treat the lower orders of animals with tenderness, or at least to give them no unnecessary pain.
5. The exercise of kindness; acts of tenderness.
6. Philology; grammatical studies. Johnson. Humanities, in the plural, signifies grammar, rhetoric and poetry; for teaching which there are professors in the universities of Scotland. Encyc.
HU-MAN-I-ZA'TION, n.
The act of humanizing.
HU'MAN-IZE, v.t.
To soften; to render humane; to subdue dispositions to cruelty, and render susceptible of kind feelings. Was it the business of magic to humanize our natures? Addison. Witherspoon.
HU'MAN-IZ-ED, pp.
Softened; rendered humane.
HU'MAN-IZ-ING, ppr.
Softening; subduing cruel dispositions.
1. A professor of grammar and rhetoric; a philologist; a term used in the universities of Scotland.
2. One versed in the knowledge of human nature. Shaftesbury.
HU-MAN-I-TA'RI-AN, n. [L. humanus, humanitas.]
One who denies the divinity of Christ, and believes him to be a mere man.
HU-MAN'I-TY, n. [L. humanitas; Fr. humanité.]
1. The peculiar nature of man, by which he is distinguished from other beings. Thus Christ, by his incarnation, was invested with humanity.
2. Mankind collectively; the human race. If he is able to untie those knots, he is able to teach all humanity. [Unusual.] Glanville. It is a debt we owe to humanity. S. S. Smith.
3. The kind feelings, dispositions and sympathies of man, by which he is distinguished from the lower orders of animals; kindness; benevolence; especially, a disposition to relieve persons in distress, and to treat with tenderness those who are helpless and defenseless; opposed to cruelty.
4. A disposition to treat the lower orders of animals with tenderness, or at least to give them no unnecessary pain.
5. The exercise of kindness; acts of tenderness.
6. Philology; grammatical studies. Johnson. Humanities, in the plural, signifies grammar, rhetoric and poetry; for teaching which there are professors in the universities of Scotland. Encyc.
HU-MAN-I-ZA'TION, n.
The act of humanizing.
HU'MAN-IZE, v.t.
To soften; to render humane; to subdue dispositions to cruelty, and render susceptible of kind feelings. Was it the business of magic to humanize our natures? Addison. Witherspoon.
HU'MAN-IZ-ED, pp.
Softened; rendered humane.
HU'MAN-IZ-ING, ppr.
Softening; subduing cruel dispositions.
She sells seashells...
TONGUE-TI'ED, a.
1. Destitute of the power of distinct articulation; having an impediment in the speech. Holder.
2. Unable to speak freely, from whatever cause.
Love and tongue-tied simplicity. Shak.
1. Destitute of the power of distinct articulation; having an impediment in the speech. Holder.
2. Unable to speak freely, from whatever cause.
Love and tongue-tied simplicity. Shak.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
THUMB, n.
THUMB, n. [Sax. thuma; G. daumen; D. duim; Dan. tomme; Sw. tumme.]
The short thick finger of the human hand, or the corresponding member of other animals.
[The common orthography is corrupt. The real word is thum.]
The short thick finger of the human hand, or the corresponding member of other animals.
[The common orthography is corrupt. The real word is thum.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)