AMERICANISMS

Evening Star, Issue 15607, 25 September 1914, Page 9

AMERICANISMS

That a body of people coming- into such new conditions a-s faced the American pioneers would need new words is. selfevident, sa.ya the ' Christian Science .Monitor' of Boston. Therefore the nam© Americanism should not be looked upon as a term of reproach. True Americanisms are fraught with the genius of tho English language, and many of them prove by -their adoption elsewhere that they fill a real place in tho expression of thought, say something that was formerly left unsaid. Many so-called Americanisms, liowever, are reaJly survivals of old English words. Grown out of more primitive conditions in old England they naturally survived among those who migrated to primitive times and places. Belittle is a word coined by Thomas Jefferson, and was used in 1786 in Morse's ' American" Geography.' "Darken one's doors" is a phrase of Franklin's. Cold *nap is dated back only to 1844, and is classed as one of the straight Americanisms. Small potatoes and some pumpkins are real Americanisms, opposites, meaning things of no importance and of much. The latter has never- gamed a place of good usage, but "small potatoes and few in a hill" is a phrase.twed by good speakers and writers. Smart Aleck, meaning a conceited fellow, had currency in many of the States. Its origin is not known, but as Alack was the country nickname for Alexander- or Alex, the _ saying probably refers to that hero of ancient vanities. _ Oute is one- of the' Americanisms which English visitors occasionally say they cannot interpret. Yet it is an English word, ttmd l»v Mrs Cowley in 1779:—"You're a cute girl, and mayhap may be able to make something of him." Here, of course, it holds its first moaning, acute or smaTt. Little by little in the united States it has- come to moan colloquially almost swiything that one wishes to say in praise", usually with an implication of that which is small, well mushed, and eloverly contrived. It aleomearis perhaps pretty, with some especial quality that is interesting, original, out of ! tho common, and thus expressing extra intelliaenoe. Cunrtinig is used in the United States in the same wav. Mrs Stow« speaks of some " cunning little tube in the window." She meant that they were pertty, attractive from their clever righteesß, expressing the intelligence of the maker. A cunning child means a "bright" and attractive one. (Sinning, too, almost always connote* that which is small. A oimnimi house would mean a pretty little house, convenient and unlike otfhar houses. All these veea plainly'hint the tofoe meaning of the word, ability and skill, though it is now heild to be more *XH*eot> aa applied to ability at work - &"*- Trow. natjxM**