DANGERS OF LANGUAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 223, 21 September 1936, Page 10

DANGERS OF LANGUAGE

A Warning Against Jargoi

Preservation of the English and French languages a* “two of the greatest heritages given the human race” was urged by Lord Tweeusmuir, Governor-General of Canada, in an address. As John Buchan, novelist and | historian, His Excellency is better know n in the world’s iiterary circlet. English, said Lord Tweedsmuir, was capable of expressing the loftiest I thoughts of mankind, the depths of human passion and every shade of human comedy—“there is nothing you cannot do with it.” “But to get value out of it,” he said, “you must respect structure. You must keep it tight and compact and organic. We should all be full of loyalties. We should all regard it a.s our duty to hand on what has been bequeathed to us by our unimpaired to our children. “Among these duties and loyalties I think we should inciudo a scrupulous regard for what is one of the most sacred possessions of our people; the English language and the great tradition of our English literature.” Baron Tweedsmuir made it clear that he did not mean that writing should be formal and pedantic, “hut once we forget structure,, what the French call ordonnance, then the vir tue goes out of our speech.” Three dangers beset the lauyuavc to

dav he ;a d. Jai 1 ’ * phases and iho ‘h-'h I® gets that all wiiD 1 :, ■ng must have s t: mature - -- 'l"' J must obey certain roh - ’ i Much ot the mG’-'Hi- •• of : 1 J* - ” land, continued th-3 ... ’toi, rejoia in having no -gu ‘ f ’ to puzzle it mu i. it -•■ au tie. Suie’y that :■> ' poetry . . . \ ceitari t.vpc oi m dera fiction, largcl.* . • c • >....• tz<-. u jection.-, ai:d s neither begui’Mi;.', Ono of ti ’’ ;-- uso of sen* ’ ’ ally tho Uima of } '' '■■ • • .'' meant an end ;<• t-u> exp l clear incauii g’ i.■■ h>’ “Ibe worst ol th ■ c *- J' 1 1 •' bcs is that th< obscure, for tiny a ’ " I ciso definition, ; u I . ers and speakers i- ir-ii’-confusion of tl.o.• ’* *' laziness. “Take that, ..••■•Hi which is panHilarß : r / ,:!l , ° our friends i-i G.e I do r.ot. know i;ow mauv received from th< I :».*'■ H ing what my ‘lecctifm d thing or other. I suppose ' ' writers meant was wh.ii I about it. Mhv co 1 i ! •••*' k that?”