English Errors.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 214, 11 September 1886, Page 4

English Errors.

Thk mind of man loves to substitute something intelligible for that which is unintelligible, just as English pailor.-t changod "Bellorophon," which had for them no moaning, into "Bully Ruffian," which conveyed a definite idea. So an English boy, aoeiug no soneo in tho word " ycloped," makes Milton state that " in heaven yelped Euphrosyno." Tho same tendency urired anothor to cay, " Find out Bomo uncouth swell," in placo of tho usual roading "cell." A third described pome ono as "a man three feet high." It appeared upon inquiry that this person had been called by the master a " freebooter;" this word conveying no idoa, hud beon altorod by tho boy to " threefootor," and this had by him been expressed more ologantly in words quoted above. Thia dwarf may havo belonged to a people referred to in a pasengo '' trepidabal popuhis," "the poople was threo-footcd." This 3ast error is |duo to ambitious etymology. The Bellerophon claes ot error" finds another exemplification in an answer to a legal question. A young law-student stated that tho statute of Pnemuniro had to do with "purple boot?," which were by it declared illegal. He had apparently boen told something about " Papal Bulls ;" these words conveying no idea to his m:n3, ho had substituted others moro familiur and intelligible Painful recolbction? must have lod another to describo a " weepng birch " as a "birch that makes you weep,1' whilo experiences of another kind made hiR friond clofine " eating cares ' as "troubles bocauso you are tirofl of eating," tho triumvirate being comploted by one who eaid "spoilers hand" meant " fathor'a hand, becnuee he spoils you ;" if ro, bow wine in any boy to "tremble" and " shrink " from it£ corrupting influence !-" Boys' Blunders," in the "Cornhill Magazine for June."