OF CHAPTER I. THE CHOICE OF WORDS. all the processes of composition, the first, not in order of time merely, but in the sense of being most constant and important, is the choice of words. It pervades every stage of the work, from the first suggestion to the last finishing touch, from plan and title to final revision. A most valuable habit to cultivate, therefore, is the habit of observing words, especially as seen in the pages of the best writers; of tracing fine shades of meaning, and noting how suggestive, or felicitous, or accurately chosen they are. It is by keeping their sense for words alert and refined that good writers constantly enlarge and enrich their vocabulary. The rules for the choice of words may be gathered under four general heads, corresponding to what may be regarded as claims or dues to be satisfied. These are: 1. What is due to the subject. 2. What is due to the reader. 3. What is due to standard usage. 4. What is due to good taste. All these are fitly called dues as writers we owe them a duty, which it is disastrous to our purpose to neglect or transgress. I. WHAT IS DUE TO THE SUBJECT. By the subject is meant the subject-matter, and this of course includes every part of the composition. To be faithful to the subject, that is, to set forth the thought exactly, accurately, correctly, is the main thing; then the question whether the words shall be long or short, easy or hard, common or unusual, which is a less important question, may be settled afterwards. I. Rules for fitting Words to Subject Matter. Let it be understood at the outset that the rules here given cannot make a writer choose words well; that depends on his own individual powers and thought; these rules can only point out some elementary principles without which, however ingenious his choice, his words fail rightly to convey his idea. I. Study exactness in degree of meaning. A word otherwise good may err in being a little too strong or a little too weak to fit the idea; this is perhaps the most frequent form of inaccuracy. Some of the plainer distinctions in words are: degrees of intensity, as anger, rage, fury; differences of bulk or size, as knoll, hill, mountain; and grades of stateliness or dignity, as house, residence, mansion.1 All these degrees of meaning have their fitting use and place. Of ILLUSTRATIONS. -I. Of too strong expression. To say, “His advocacy of this measure will ruin his influence in the country" is to make a very strong assertion; perhaps on reflection the word impair or imperil would be as strong a term as ought to be used. course, how strong the word should be is a question that the writer must decide for himself; but he should have a care how much he is committing himself to.- Exaggerated words used in the thoughtless 1 Davidson, "English Words Explained" (London, Longmans), introduction, p. II. |