AMERICA'S NEW WORDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 21 November 1928, Page 10

AMERICA'S NEW WORDS

CHANGED MEANINGS Most of the. plang words and expressions invented in America have a relatively brief life, but some gel fixed, and aro already accepted to all intents and. purposes as part of tjio language. But a more subtle, change is taking place, and that is tho giving to certain' true English words a new meaning or sig nificanco (writes Richard Guide in tho

"Daily Mad"). 'lake, for example, tho word ordinary." In England "ordinary" means "common" in the sense of being usual, but. in America if also moans "common" in the sense of being secondrate or vulgar. One of the most frequent remarks one hears in America is that "So ami So is very ordinary." Then there is the word "lovely." The American applies it not only to beautiful scenes or women, but to conduct. "His behaviour to me was lovely." "Home" also has been given a new kind of emphasis, which, however, is quite comprehensible in this home-loving 1 nation. An American does not say that his town is full of beautiful "houses" ; ho says it is full of beautiful "homes." Indeed, the fact that ho talks about his "homo' town" shows with what sentimental regard the word is held. One of the commonest misuses of English in America is to say "good" when von mean "well." When an American remarks (hat he "feels good" it has nothing to do with his moral state, but solely with his physical well-being or his spirits. But perhaps this process of enlarging the meaning of words has never been more strangely exemplified than in the case of "commute." In America a man who commutes is a man who travels dailv to his work with a season ticket. The' derivation is easy enough to follow, for one of the dictionary definitions of "commute" is to "buy off one obligation by another," and it is obvious that the commuter buys off tho obligation to purchase a daily 'ticket by purchasing a season ticket. All the same, it is an old application of the word, and must have bewildered many an Englishman. But there are many odd uses of English in America. Take tho simple words, "Yes, sir," and "No, sir." When an American uses them, not merely as an ordinary expression of assent or dissent, but as a downright wind-up to an argument, they can bo addressed to a woman just as well as to a man. The changing slang of America is a huge field which I can hardly enter upon ; but I may mention that the- slang expression which is momentarily all the in New York is "And how!" It means "tremendously." If someone asks you whether you enjoyed the theatre and vou did enjoy it, you say,. And how '" in a slow, drawling voice. 1 believe it originated from some phrase in a musical comedy song, and it will probably be dead in six months. Just now, however, if is the thing. When a ,„..,„ is found out in England he. is said 1,-, bo "howled out"; when a man is snubbed m America ho is said to be "balled out"—not quite the same thing. I admit, but very misleading. In certain circumstances the terms are almost i ntercha ngoable.