Huber Gray Buehler

“ Attention is always fixed, not on the form of the illustrative sentence, but on the principle of usage under discussion. Pupils would rather commit to memory the sentences than trouble themselves about reasons; but they will master reasons when they find they must. After principles have been mastered, exercises in the choice of forms and words are needed in order that knowledge may be converted into habit. ”

“ It should never be forgotten that the illustrative sentences in the "Foundations" have no value except as they help the student to grasp a principle that he can apply in his own use of language. In every case the emphasis should be laid on the principle which is announced or illustrated. Merely learning the corrected sentences by heart is useless and should not be permitted.
In taking a class over PART I., which treats of words, it is the writer's practice to assign a short lesson—from one to three pages—in connection with every recitation in English. ”

“ The Use of Dictionaries.—To become acquainted with good literature, however, takes a long time; and to decide, by direct reference to the usage of the best writers, every question that arises in composition, is not possible for beginners. In certain cases beginners must go to dictionaries to learn what good use approves. Dictionaries do not make good use, but by recording the facts learned by professional investigators they answer many questions regarding it. To one who wishes to speak and write well a good dictionary is indispensable. ”

“ The pronouns in "-self" are properly used only for emphasis or in a reflexive sense. [49] It is right to say: "I will go myself"; "Carrie herself went to the door "; "God helps those who help themselves." It would be wrong to say, "Harry and myself have bought a horse together."
When a pronoun in "-self" is used reflexively, it refers to the subject of the clause in which it stands.
In sentences like "This advice is free to whoever will take it," the word ending in "-ever" is the subject of the verb "will take," not the object of the preposition "to." ”

“ As regards English, then, the first duty of our schools is to set before pupils excellent models, and, in all departments of school-work, to keep a watchful eye on the innumerable acts of expression, oral and written, which go to form habit. Since, however, pupils come to school with many of their habits of expression already formed on bad models, our schools must give some attention to the special work of pointing out common errors of speech, and of leading pupils to convert knowledge of these errors into new and correct habits of expression. ”

“ All the "Exercises in English" with which I am acquainted consist chiefly of "sentences to be corrected." To such exercises there are grave objections. If, on the one hand, the fault in the given sentence is not seen at a glance, the pupil is likely, as experience has shown, to pass it by and to change something that is not wrong. If, on the other hand, the fault is obvious, the exercise has no value in the formation of habit. ”

“ Complement, compliment.—A complement is a "full quantity or number" or "that which is needed to complete"; a compliment is "an expression of praise."
Conscience, consciousness.—Conscience is that within us which distinguishes right from wrong. Consciousness is the state of being aware of one's existence, thoughts, and surroundings. ”

“ As the newspaper in its news records the life of every day, so in its style it too frequently records the slang of daily life and the faults of ordinary conversation. A newspaper contains bits of English prose from hundreds of different pens, some skilled, some unskilled; and this jumble of styles does not determine good use. ”

“ We may like or even love a person; we only like the most palatable kind of food. With an infinitive, like is the common word, love being appropriate only in the hyperbole of poetical or rhetorical feeling. ”

“ The reason for this becomes evident if, in the sentence "Do you remember Katharine (Katharine's) singing?" we substitute for the noun "singing" another noun, "song;" thus, "Do you remember Katharine (Katharine's) song?" The direct object of "remember" is "singing," which is described by the possessive "Katharine's."
3. "Katharine's blithe singing of merry songs helps to make home happy." Here, too, "singing" is a noun; but now its verbal character has disappeared, for it is modified by an adjective "blithe," and instead of a direct object we have the prepositional phrase "of merry songs." ”

“ Good reading is indispensable to good speaking or writing. Without this, rules and dictionaries are of no avail. In reading the biographies of eminent writers, it is interesting to note how many of them were great readers when they were young; and teachers can testify that the best writers among their pupils are those who have read good literature or who have been accustomed to hear good English at home. The student of expression should begin at once to make the acquaintance of good literature. ”

“ Each of these expressions is common at the present time, and its meaning is instantly clear to any one who speaks English. But these expressions, not being used by well-informed and careful speakers, produce in the mind of a well-informed bearer an impression of vulgarity like that which we get from seeing a person eat with his knife. In language, as in manners and fashions, the law is found in the custom of the best people; and persons who wish to be classed as cultivated people must speak and write like cultivated people. ”

“ Newspapers and Good Use.—Nor can good use be learned from what we see in newspapers. Newspapers of high rank contain from time to time, especially in their editorial columns, some of the best modern prose, and much literature that has become standard was first printed in periodicals; but most of the prose in newspapers is written necessarily by contributors who do not belong to the class of "speakers or writers whom the world deems the best." ”

“ Will or shall. [73] —Some grammarians teach that the future tense of "go" is: "I shall or will go," "You shall or will go," "He shall or will go," etc. The fact seems to be that there is only one form for the future; the other form, often given as an alternative, expresses something more than futurity, and is somewhat like a distinct mode.
A help to the proper use of shall and will is found in the original meaning of the words. At first shall and will were notional verbs, [74] shall meaning "to owe," "to be obliged," and will meaning "to wish:" as, "That faith I shall (owe) to God." ”

“ Some recent authorities teach that only that should be used when the relative clause is limiting or defining: as, the man that runs fastest wins the race; but who or which when it is descriptive or co-ordinating: as, this man, who ran fastest, won the race; but, though present usage is perhaps tending in the direction of such a distinction, it neither has been nor is a rule of English speech, nor is it likely to become one, especially on account of the impossibility of setting that after a preposition ”

“ We allude to it when we refer to it in a delicate or slight way.
Argue, augur.—To argue is "to bring forward reasons;" to augur is "to foretell," "to forebode."
Compare with, compare to, contrast.—"Two things are compared in order to note the points of resemblance and difference between them; they are contrasted in order to note the points of difference only. When one thing is compared to another, it is to show that the first is like the second; when one thing is compared with another, it is to show either difference or similarity, especially difference." ”

“ We say, "He is likely to come;" "He will probably come." Like as an adjective means "similar," as, "Men of like excellence;" "He looks like his grandfather;" "He was a man of like passions as we are." In the sense of "in the same manner as" like is followed by a noun or a pronoun in the objective case, and is called by some an adverb, by others a preposition: as, "He talks like her." ”

“ Proposal, proposition.—"A proposal is something proposed to be done, which may be accepted or rejected. A proposition is something proposed for discussion, with a view to determining the truth or wisdom of it." ”

“ EXERCISES IN ENGLISH
CHAPTER I. OF GOOD USE
Why is it that for the purposes of English composition one word is not so good as another? To this question we shall get a general answer if we examine the effect of certain classes of expressions.
Present Use.—Let us examine first the effect produced by three passages in the authorized version of the English Bible—a version made by order of King James in 1611:—
"For these two years hath the famine been in the land, and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest" (Gen. xlv. 6) . ”

“ At the appointed hour he drove to her house in a buggy, and she came down to meet him in her riding habit.
These incidents show that if we use expressions that are only local, or use words in local senses, we are liable either to be misunderstood or not to be understood at all. Obscurity also arises from the use of words in senses which are peculiar to a certain class or profession. For example, to a person who is not familiar with commercial slang, this sentence from the market columns of a newspaper is a puzzle:—
"Java coffees are dull and easy, though they are statistically strong." ”

“ To assert is "to say or declare in the face of implied denial or doubt." To allege is "to assert without proof." To maintain is "to uphold by argument." To declare is "to say publicly, clearly, or emphatically." To affirm is "to assert on one's reputation for knowledge or truthfulness." To state, which is also often misused in the sense of "say," "assert," "allege," "declare," or "affirm," means properly "to express formally and in detail;" it always implies detail. (See "Foundations," pp. 113, 114, and "Practical Exercises," p. 99.) ”

“ A collective noun, when it refers to the collection as a whole, is singular in sense, and therefore requires a singular verb; when it refers to the individual persons or things of the collection, it is plural and requires a plural verb. ”

“ Plenty is now in good use as a noun only, as "Plenty of corn and wine." [111] Shakespeare used the word as an adjective in "Reasons as plenty as blackberries," but this use is obsolete. The use of plenty as an adverb, as "The food is plenty good enough," is a vulgarism.
Some, somewhat, something.—Some is an adjective, as, "Some water;" "Some brighter clime." Somewhat is an adverb, as, "He is somewhat better." "Somewhat" is occasionally used as a noun, as, "Somewhat of doubt remains," but in this sense something is more common. ”

“ An Adjective is a word joined by way of description or limitation to a noun or a pronoun.
An Adverb is a word joined by way of limitation or emphasis to a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Vulgarisms. [110] —Every educated person is expected to know the correct use of the following words:—
Good, well.—Good is an adjective: the adverb corresponding to it is well. We say, "He had a good sleep;" "He slept well." Well is sometimes an adjective, as in "You look well."
Likely, probably, like.—Likely is now used as an adjective only, except in the phrase "As likely as not;" ”

“ Production, meaning "the act of producing," is also applied to a work of literature or art, as a book, a statue, or a painting. "Product, in the sense of 'thing produced,' is preferable to production, since production is also used in an abstract sense." ”

“ Purpose, propose.—"The verb purpose, in the sense of 'intend,' is preferable to propose, since to propose also means 'to offer for consideration:' the noun answering to the former is purpose; to the latter, proposal or proposition." [104]
Repulse, repel.—Repulse usually implies hostility; repel is a milder term. We repulse an enemy or an assailant; we repel an officious person or the unwelcome advances of a lover.
Start, begin, commence.—To start is "to set out" or "to set going," and is not followed by an infinitive. Before an infinitive, "begin" or "commence" is used. ”

“ House, home.—A house is a building. Home means one's habitual abode, "the abiding place of the affections." It may or may not be in a house, and it may include the surroundings of a house.
Person, party.—A person is an individual, a party is a company of persons, or, in legal usage, a person who is concerned in a contention or agreement. ”

“ TO THE TEACHER.—It is easy to underestimate the difficulty which this exercise presents to pupils. In assigning the lesson care must be taken not to call for more of this kind of work than can be done well. Constructing a sentence to illustrate the correct use of a word is a valuable exercise, but it is a difficult one; and persons who know the correct use of a word may be put to their wit's end to illustrate that use. ”

“ Forms of the Subjunctive—In form the English subjunctive differs from the indicative in several ways:—
1. In the single case of the verb to be there are distinct forms for the present and past tenses, namely:—
EXAMPLES.—"See that my room be [85] got ready at once." "I will work you a banner if you be [85] victorious." "The headsman feels if the axe be [85] sharp." "Take care lest you be deceived." "Judge not that ye be not judged." "I will beard them, though they be [85] more fanged than wolves and bears." "If I were you, I would not say that." "If you were more studious, you would rank high." ”

“ Custom, habit.—Custom denotes the frequent repetition of the same act, and may be used of a number of persons taken together. Habit is the effect of custom in a person. Custom is voluntary; habit is involuntary, often uncontrollable, sometimes unconscious. ”

“ A common form of this fault is the use in certain cases of "and" or "but" before the words "who," "which," "when," or "where," which are themselves connectives: as, "The challenge was accepted by Orlando, a young man little known up to that time, but to whom Rosalind had taken a great liking." If the relative clause introduced by "who," "which," "when," or "where" is to be joined to a preceding relative clause, the conjunction is proper: as, "The challenge was accepted by Orlando, a young man who was little known at that time, but to whom Rosalind had taken a great liking." ”

“ Captivate, capture.—To captivate means "to fascinate"; to capture, "to take prisoner."
Depreciate, deprecate.—To depreciate means "to bring down in value," "to disparage;" to deprecate means "to argue earnestly against" or "to express regret for."
Impugn, Impute.—To impugn means "to call in question;" to impute means "to ascribe to."
Loan, lend.—The use of loan as a verb is not sanctioned by good use. Properly the word is a noun. A loan is money which a person lends. ”

“ Take, for example, two "sentences for correction" which I select at random from one of the most widely used books of its class: "I knew it was him," and "Sit the plates on the table." A pupil of any wit will at once see that the mistakes must be in "him" and "sit," and knowing that the alternatives are "he" and "set," he will at once correct the sentences without knowing, perhaps, why one form is wrong, the other right. ”

“ The practice of no one writer, however high he may stand in the public estimation, is enough to settle a point; but the uniform or nearly uniform practice of reputable speakers or writers is decisive." [6]
Good Reading the Foundation of Good Speaking and Writing.—To the question how to become familiar with good use the first answer is, read the best literature. Language, like manners, is learned for the most part by imitation ”

“ When a number of persons or things are spoken of, the proper word is all.
[22] TO THE TEACHER.—It may not be desirable to drill pupils on all the words whose meanings are discriminated here and in chapters V. and VI. In that case it will be easy to select for study those words which the pupils are most likely to misuse. The words discriminated in this book are for the most part those which are mentioned in the "Foundations of Rhetoric," and they have been arranged in the same order. A few other words often misused by my pupils have been added. ”

“ Singular or Plural Pronouns. [62] —The rule that a pronoun should be in the same number as its antecedent is violated most commonly in connection with such expressions as "any one," "each," "either," "every," "man after man," "neither," "nobody." Grammatically such expressions are singular.
"He" ("his," "him") may stand for mankind in general and include women as well as men. ”

“ I came, thou came, he came.
[82] "Foundations," pp. 98-101.
[83] "Some people seem to think that the subjunctive mood is as good as lost, that it is doomed, and that its retention is hopeless. If its function were generally appreciated, it might even now be saved.... If we lose the Subjunctive Verb, it will certainly be a grievous impoverishment to our literary language, were it only for its value in giving variation to diction—and I make bold to assert that the writer who helps to keep it up deserves public gratitude."—John Earle: English Prose, its Elements, History, and Usage, p. 172. ”