OUR QUEER LANGUAGE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 24, Issue 16, 28 February 1913, Page 2

OUR QUEER LANGUAGE.

- A WORD WITH THIRTY-TWO MEANINGS. In spite of certain undeniable disad autages, the English language makes headway. There are few tongues so bard to master. A fantastic Turkish lcg<n;l a-.-tly ilustrates the actual facts concerning the origin and formation of modern English. After creating the first parents vof each of the races, the story runs, Allah took a large piece of meat, and cutting it into slices distributed them among all the people to serve them as tongues. For some reason iho Englishman was absent when the others received their thaic. At last he came into the presence of his Maker,and in mute humility begged him to put a tongue into his mouth. But nothing- was left of the meat. So Allah was obliged to cut a little piece from the tengues of all the others, and, joining these pieces, he fashioned a tongue for the Englishman.

One of the most perplexing characteristics of the English tongue is the fact that, as a rule, the same word has different meanings. A dictionary close at hand gives to the verbs, see, lean, hold and straw, 14, 18, 19, rnd 32 meanings respectively. Now, for a foreigner to be able to distinguish all these various meanings is a tremendous task.

Just as an illustration, the “Bookman” invites us to consider the perplexity of a persevering Frenchman over the meaning of the word “fast.” 1 ‘Zis hoarse, sair, he go queek what you say ?” ‘“Yes, he is a fast horse.” “Ah, pardon, monsieur, but your friend say he make fast his horse, and he tie Mm to a Post so he no go at all.” '“Very true,; he is made fast by being tied.” Ah, eat cannot be ; he cannot go fast, but what you call a nian that keeps fast ?”

“Qh, he is a good man that does not eat on fast days. But I have seen one bon vi'vant, who eat and drink and ride, and do everyzing. Ze people say he is a bad man—he is very fast.” • ‘‘‘True, that is called living a fast life.” ‘‘Ah, certainement. Zen all ze days of his life must be fast days.” ‘‘No, of course .” ‘‘Eh biien. Does he eat every day ?” ‘‘Certainly he does.” ‘‘Zen how can he keep fast ?” “Why, he keeps going, to be sure.” 'Vy, you tell me to stand fast when you want me to keep still, and go fast v hen you want me to run. How can I understand ?’*»•