Part 36 (1/2)

HEALTHY, HEALTHFUL, WHOLESOME--That is _healthy_ which is in good health; that is _healthful_ or _wholesome_ which produces health

_Wholesome_ commonly applies to food

HUMAN, HUMANE--_Human_ denotes what pertains to man as man; as, ”_human_ nature,” ”_human_ sacrifices” _Humane_ means ”compassionate”

LATEST, LAST--_Latest_, like the word ”late,” contains a distinct reference to time; that is _latest_ which comes after all others in time: as, ”The _latest_ news;” ”The _latest_ fashi+on” _Last_, which was originally a contraction of ”latest,” is now used without any distinct reference to time, and denotes that which comes after all others in space or in a series: as, ”The _last_ house on the street;” ”The _Last_ of the Mohicans”

LENGTHY, LONG--_Lengthy_ is said to have originated in the United States, but the earliest quotations found are from British authors In the introduction to the second series of The Biglow Papers, Mr Lorote: ”We have given back to England the excellent adjective _lengthy_thus enabling their journalists to characterize our President's _ and _tedious_, so as not to endanger the peace of the two countries by wounding our national sensitiveness to British criticiss, and ith

MAD, ANGRY--_Mad_ ood use

NEW, NOVEL--That is _nehich is not old; that is _novel_ which is both new and strange

ORAL, VERBAL--”_Oral_, in the sense of 'in spoken words,' is preferable to _verbal_, since _verbal_ means 'in words' whether spoken or written”[126]

PITIABLE, PITIFUL--”_Pitiable,_ in the sense of 'deserving pity,' is preferable to _pitiful,_ since _pitiful_ also means 'compassionate,' as, 'The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy'”[126]

PRACTICABLE, PRACTICAL--That is _practicable_ which can be done; that is _practical_ which is not theoretical only: as, ”a _practicable_ plan,” ”a _practical_ electrician”

PROMINENT, EMINENT--_Pro out so as to be easily seen;” _euished in character or rank”

REAL, REALLY, VERY--_Real_ is properly an adjective, inary or counterfeit,” as, ”_real_ diamonds” Its misuse for the adverbs _really_ and _very_, as, ”This is _real_ pretty,” is a vulgarishtened;” _afraid_ is an adjective”in fear” Before ”of,” the proper word is _afraid_: as, ”She is _afraid_ of horses” _Scared of_ is not in good use

GRAND, GORGEOUS, AWFUL, SPLENDID, ELEGANT, LOVELY, MAGNIFICENT--_Grand_ properly ieous_, ”splendid colors;” _awful_, ”awe;” _elegant_, ”elegance;” _splendid_, ”splendor;” _lovely,_ ”surpassing loveliness;” _nificence”

”We talk, sometimes, with people whose conversation would lead you to suppose that they had lived in a museum, where all the objects were rammar: 'most perfect,' 'most exquisite,' 'most horrible' Like the French, they are enchanted, they are desolate, because you have got or have not got a shoestring or a wafer you happen to want--not perceiving that superlatives are diminutives and weaken All this comes of poverty We are unskilful definers From want of skill to convey quality, we hope to e should ai talk, these experiences all exquisite, intense, and tremendous”[127]

[123] AS Hill: Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p 39

[124] Ibid, p 18

[125] Ibid, p 38

[126] AS Hill: Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p 19

[127] RW Emerson; The Superlative

EXERCISE LXXII

_Tell the difference in e (ordinary) yield of wheat

2 He is bound (deterhting for three days

4 It was deadly (deathly) cold in the cave

5 A decided (decisive) victory

6 The boy is dumb (stupid)

7 His story is apparently (evidently,(extant) portraits of Milton

9 His actions were very funny (odd)

10 This is a healthy (wholeso

12 His latest (last) attethy) explanations

14 She becary)

15 A new (novel) style

16 An oral (verbal) e

17 A pitiable (pitiful) man