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Show The First Meanings of Words. In thi- "Editor"? Study' of Harper's Mng.i7.ln- I or .1 n i. ua i , Mr. Alden nuiko-BOme nuiko-BOme Interesting comments on the prOC- lli . of reverting to the original meaning of words for purposes of definition: "Th" fueling ..f servile obligation to the frci meaning of words, us e-tymo-logically determined-," he says, "would Impoverish the language. But In the very sentence Just written tin- writer might have tautologlcslly used thi- i iihr.e-i. 'binding obligation' but for a I knowledge of the original moaning oi th sub.-lantive. "In the case of a very large number of I words the first meaning i retained, and it is because of that precise meaning that they were adopted Into the language lan-guage winch they have thus helped lu enrich. No cartful writer would use the word 'depict' sovi in its original meaning; he certainly would not use- it In place of 'describe.' unless ho wished to sucgei-t vividness Hlld color W. keep the word 'portray' ulso. which, though as generally used almost interchangeable interchange-able with 'depict.' has yet the special meaning which distinguishes the portrait por-trait from thi painting. The freqUi i lly inept use of the word 'dilapidated' i- :i grievance to the- judicious scholar, as Well OS an offense to the purist. Keeling b;.s much bo do with tiu misapplication of words. There Is an intensity of meaning In the word 'dilapidated' as ln- dlcaUng . downright run ('not one Stone left upon another") which would .-. iii I.. Justify Its application to fallen structures not madi of atone, Wh q the feeling ll very strung, it will have Its way agalnts all criticism." |