ENGLISH AS SHE IS WRITTEN
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—" Purist's " letter in your last issue gave just those detestable errors which are all too prevalent in our daily Press. There are others too numerous to mention, but may
I add just one or two ? Paradox cannot seem " to be an absurdity ; it is one. Demise meant now passing, as " the demise of the Crown," till lately, but now even dictionaries give it as signifying death. Anticipate does not mean expect but " to go before," and a mutual friend differs in meaning from "a common friend."
" Purist " might take up the interesting subject of mis- quoted common sayings such as " Cleanliness is next to Godliness" instead of as originally and much more sensibly " to goodliness." I am sure a long list of such could be
Previous page
