DIALOGUES OF THE STREET. CONCERNING " LANGUAGE."

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 141, 15 June 1904, Page 5

DIALOGUES OF THE STREET. CONCERNING " LANGUAGE."

Parker remarked to his friend Jones thut he had b&en lending in an English magazine that tha Japanese languaga contuina no " Siweur woid*," and that it had been suggested that it was to repair this defect that Japan sought linglan.4 as an ally. Jones retorted Awth fome display of waunth thut "it \ia.s a bianky libel ou his couutiy,"'' but i' t nker inten-upled him to point out that his own languaga rather helped to pio\e the allegation. Jottta splutU-ied a protest. Auyhow, he .said, we weren't vorsu than some of Uncle Sjru'o cuizeim out West, who claimed to have leuueod b wearing to 9 iine art, aud never to bo stumped for aa ornamental expletive with which to giva point to an expression of opinion. " That may or may not Le the case," said Parker. "But you niiitt admit thai the language of ihe British hoodlum.-— including the colonial hoodlum and suuw oi hb belter-dresacd kind, commonly designated as 'young gentlemen,' is bad; enough to shouk the sensibilities of even an euby-going, independent community." "Well, yes, I believe you're right," said Jones. "I think it's mere hi>biC though — at least, 1 hweor more hxna force of hiibit than from inclination." Parker said that he had also read in, the .same article that much of the b*d» language of the street arises from " sheer verbal amemia," and that in the case of the habitual street comer man, he, , being poorly oil for words, "ekes out hi« opinions by general and indit>crinmiat« use of the two most absurdly overworked' adjectives in the English language.'* "Which are they?" enquired! Jones., " "Weil, you used one of thorn youreelf a moment ago," replied, his friend. "Isn't that suliicient illustration-?" " Yes ; I suppose you. I can guess tbs other." " The writer of tho article I've quoted," proceeded "Paiker, "holds that the man who uses these adjective, 1 ! so constantly is mentally starved, lie neetkr a • dictionary, and not tracts. His vocabuWy must be enriched, and witli a better supply of adjectives he -trill, cease to clothe his opinions in the eiagle filtliy; garment." " But you can't charge that against the modern colonial, with our free and compulsory system of education," interposed Jones. "Few of tho present-day generation are without some sort of an education. And, besides, my recollection of street corner conversation in this city is that tho average colonial, and Wcllingtonian, has a fairly comprehensive range of language which, is lurdd." "Which rather goes to prove that tha writer, who holds that 'only by education, and consequent enrichment of the mind, can the common speech, be purified,' is wrong," 6aid Parker. "He writes on London experience, where he has a cosmopolitan population! to deal with," said Jones. " We're cosmopolitan enough, in all conscience," replied Pavker. "Well, then., it's force of habit as much as anything."", "Isn't it assuimid in some circles to b* a manly virtue to bo able to swe^r— swear better than the company vou'ra |iv?' : . J "I never heaid ib put that xvuy, though I've heard it said by one young fellow to another that 'until he had gone through a c<?rt«"<n assigned curricu> lum. he would never fee worth a-» ." "Yes, yes, I know," interrupted Par. ker. "The habit I object to," he proceeded, ''is that of the louts who stand under the lamplight ;it a street corner, mostly near a. pirbliehouse, chewing the butt of a cigarette, spitting a circle liko a cartwheel, through which women drag their skirts and run all M>rte of risks— ■ if the Health Officers are to bo believed — 'throwing off' at girls and women who pass by, and interlarding their talk with verbal filth." "Also the idiot who you frequently hear carrying on a conversation with • companion while moving along the street, every other word of which is a disgusting # oath." " Yes ; I've got him on the list,* re« plied Parker. " But what is the remedy? The police, -who hnvo the power, don't appear to display any particular inclination to take the initiutive. You „ hour occasionally of a case of obscene or violent language beinj; brought into th* Courts, tho offender being either a drunken man or an agitated citizen who has squa-bbled with his neighbour. Yon, never hear Of a prosecution of th© street hoodlum for verbal filth. All the «imc, I am convinced that if a few examples were mado it , would have a wholesome effect in many directions." " Aud you can't ask a citizen to take up the mantle of tho private detectiv©» Kin youV" "Not very well." An Antt-Swearing, League, or Society for the Suppression of Street Swearing, might -undertake rhs job, I" wouldn't." "Notwithstanding all that has been j said," remarked Jo«*s, " I still hold to my theory that the cause of the common use of verbal filth is aa much -habit as — habit engendered and eucourI aged by association. A person doesn't swear to himself — wiless ho barks hi* shin, or hammers his thumb, or something nnusual has happened to put his dander up. ' Then ho does a ger.tiinfe swear. But the force of habit in strong. For instance, isn't it on record that a certain skipper who had the honour of landing a Govenwr on these shores was reduced to such an agitated t&tate of mind because of the crowding of the populace about the gangway that ho suddenly bellowed from tie" bridge of his vessel: "Way there! Make way, can't you, for The Hanky Governor !" " Yes." said Parker. * " Anjl it's about on a par with an excited awl patriotic onlooker at one of the Dncal fertivitie* a year or so back who , shouted ' Boo« bl«nky-ray !'" . ' ~ -