LANGUAGE INVADED

Evening Star, Issue 22031, 17 May 1935, Page 1

LANGUAGE INVADED

INTRUSION OF “ PER CENT.” In May, 1711, Mr Spectator received the humble petition of Who and Which, who (or which) were indignant at being pushed out of employment by That, says ‘ Tire Times.’ it will surely not be long before a humble petition is presented by three other honest and serviceable English words, that (or who, or which) are now being pushed out of employment—-the words, quarter, half, and whole. Their case is the harder because their supplanter is not of English but of alien birth, and patently corrupt at that, being named Per cent. So far the disuse of the sound old English words is not complete—that is to say, not 100 per cent.; but the percentage of their employment has fallen very low, Per cent, taking at least 75 per cent, of the total, which means occurring three times to their one. If the percentage were proportionately lower, there might be—on the principle that 50 per cent, of a loaf is better than no bread—only a trifling percentage of cause for complaint; but the trouble is that Per cent, is not content to meet the old words at 50 per cent, of tho mileage (halfway, that it used to be called), but threatens to go the 100 per cent. hog. Landlords (at any rate 90 per cent, of them, that is, nine out of ten) may be- expected to discourage the mention of 25 per cent, day, lest it should suggest to the larger percentage of tenants a percentage as well as the date of payment; but in these mechanical and mathematical days how low will it be before an engineer-admiral paces his 25 per cent, deck? If 25 per cent, sessions are not abolished, they will soon bo trying a man for murdering Ins bettor 50 per cent, while he was 50 per cent, seas over through drinking 50-50, or perhaps 200 per cent, whiskies; and our football correspondents will record that iu the last match of the 50 per cent, at St. Gengulphus the game was so hot that the 50 per cent, backs and the 75 per cent, backs were 50 per cent, dead of exhaustion at 50 per cent .time. Before such things are upon ns in large percentages, be fore it is ton late to stop them, it is urgent that the subject be seen steadily and seen 100 per cent. In every 25 pei cent, of the country the cry of the distressed words should receive sympathetic hearing. There must be no oO per cent, measures. The offenders must expect no 25 per cent. Unless their intrusions are reduced by an enormous percentage all who favour their cause must be condemned to be hanged, drawn, and 25 pereented.