Every-Day Errors of Speech Part 5

G.

=Gallivating=, not _gallivanting_. Gallivanting is a word that is used to some extent, being applied to persons that are roaming about for amus.e.m.e.nt or adventure; as, "this young man has been _gallivanting_ around." If it is a corruption of _gallanting_, it should certainly be abolished as a vulgarism; but if it is a corruption of _gallivating_, from _gallivat_, the name of a small sailing vessel, it might be clothed in its proper garb and retained as a useful word in our language. If either is used, the one above preferred should be chosen, at any rate.

=Gallows=--gal'lus, not gal'loz. =Gallowses=, plural.

=Gamin=--ga-mang', not gam'in nor ga'min. A street child.

=Gape=--gape or gape, not gap.

=Gargle.= One _gargles_, not _gurgles_, the throat.

=Gaseous=--gaz'e-us, not ga.s.s-e-us. Worcester gives ga'ze-us too.

=Gather=--gath'er, not geth'er.

=Genealogy=--jen-e-al'o-jy, not je-ne-al'o-jy nor je-ne-ol'o-jy.

=Genealogist= (jen-e-al'o-jist), =genealogical= (jen-e-a-loj'i-kal) and =genealogically= (jen-e-a-loj'i-kal-ly).

=Generic=--je-ner'ik, not jen'er-ik, nor je-ne'rik.

Relating to a genus, or kind.

=Gerund=--jer'und, not je-rund. A kind of verbal noun in Latin.

=Get=, not git.

=Giaour=--jowr, not gi'oor, ji-owr' nor joor.

An epithet applied by the Turks to a disbeliever in Mahomet; the name of one of Byron's poems.

=Gibbet=--jib'bet, not gib'bet.

=Glamour=--gla'moor, not glam'mur. Worcester gives gla'mer, also. A charm in the eyes, making them see things differently from what they really are.

=Gneiss=--nis, not nes nor gnes. A kind of rock.

=Gondola=--gon'do-la, not gon-do'la.

=Got.= There are some sticklers for niceties that overdo themselves in contending that the use of the verb _got_ is generally unnecessary and incorrect in conjunction with _have_ and _had_. Get means to procure, to obtain, to come into possession of, etc., and it is a very tame a.s.sertion that one simply _has_ a thing that cost much mental or physical labor. A scholar _has_ his lesson, but did it creep into his head while he pa.s.sively shut his eyes and went to sleep? On the contrary, he _got_ it or learned it by hard study, and it is proper to say that he has _got_ it. A man _has_ a cold, but he _got_ it or _took_ it by exposing himself. A person _has_ a sum of money, but he _got_ or _earned_ it by his labor. Another _has_ good friends, but he _got_ or _secured_ them by his pleasant address. The great causes of the warfare against this word are, I think, that _have_ and _had_, though generally used as auxiliaries, can sometimes be used as princ.i.p.al verbs and make good sense; and that it has not been recollected that in the majority of cases _got_ either stands for, or can be subst.i.tuted for another verb. In confirmation of this last statement, is appended the following composed by Dr. Withers: "I _got_ on horseback within ten minutes after I _got_ your letter. When I _got_ to Canterbury, I _got_ a chaise for town, but I _got_ wet before I _got_ to Canterbury; and I have _got_ such a cold as I shall not be able to _get_ rid of in a hurry.

I _got_ to the Treasury about noon, but first of all I _got_ shaved and dressed. I soon _got_ into the secret of getting a memorial before the board, but I could not _get_ an answer then; however, I _got_ intelligence from the messenger, that I should most likely _get_ one the next morning. As soon as I _got_ back to my inn, I _got_ my supper and _got_ to bed. It was not long before I _got_ asleep. When I _got_ up in the morning, I _got_ my breakfast, and then I _got_ myself dressed that I might _get_ out in time to _get_ an answer to my memorial. As soon as I _got_ it, I _got_ into the chaise and _got_ to Canterbury by three, and about tea-time, I got home. I have _got_ nothing for you, and so adieu."

Applying this test of subst.i.tution to any doubtful case, I think it right to a.s.sert that if there is no other verb, or participle, that will appropriately take the place of "got,"

the latter word is _unnecessary_; but it should hardly be considered as an error, as it is so slight an impropriety compared with many others that are allowed, and especially because we have long had the usage of many of the best writers to sanction the employment of the word. The very people that appear to be so shocked at the use of the superfluous _got_, may generally be heard making use of such expressions as "fell _down_ upon the ground," "rose _up_ and went away," "covered it _over_," and "a great, _big_ fire." The _down_, _up_, _over_ and _big_ are certainly superfluities, but they have been heard so long that they are seldom mentioned as errors.

=Gourmand=--goor'mand, not gor'mand, unless the orthography =gormand= is used.

=Gout=--gowt, not goot, as actors are sometimes heard p.r.o.nounce it in the following line from Macbeth: "On thy blade and dudgeon, _gouts_ of blood."

=Government=--guv'ern-ment not guv'er-ment. It is a mistake, frequently made, to write and p.r.o.nounce the word as if it had no "n" in the penultimate.

=Gramercy=--gra-mer'sy, not gram'er-sy. A word formerly used to express thankfulness with surprise.

=Granary=--gran'a-ry, not gra'na-ry. There are no such words as _grainery_ and _grainary_.

=Gratis=--gra'tis, not grat-is.

=Grenade=--gre-nade', not gren'ade. A kind of explosive sh.e.l.l.

=Guardian=--gard'i-an, not gar-de'an.

=Guerdon=--ger'don, not gwer'don nor jer'don. A reward; a recompense.

=Guild=--gild, not gild. A society; a fraternity.

=Guipure=--ge-pur', not gim-pure' nor gwi-pure'.

An imitation of antique lace.

=Gunwale=--commonly p.r.o.nounced gun'nel and spelled so sometimes.

=Gutta-percha=--gut'ta-per'cha, not gut'ta-per'ka.

=Gyrfalcon=--jer'faw-kn, not jer'fal-kun.

H.

=Habitue= (Fr. habitue)--a-bit-u-a', not hab-it-u-e nor hab-it-u-a'.

=Halloo= (hal-loo'), =holla= (hol'la), =hollo= (hol'lo or hol-lo') or =hollow= (hol'low), but not hol'ler. Worcester gives =halloo= (hal-loo'), =holla= (hol-la'), =hollo= (hol-lo') and =hollow= (hol'low or hol-low'). It is strange that with such a variety of words to choose from, people generally say "_holler_."

=Hanged= is preferable to _hung_, when the infliction of the death penalty by hanging is meant.

=Hara.s.s=--har'a.s.s, not ha-ra.s.s'.

=Harem=--ha'rem, not har'em. Worcester gives ha'rem also.

Written also =haram= (ha-ram').

=Hardly.= _Don't_ and _can't_ should not be used with =hardly=.

Such errors as, "I don't hardly believe it," are not uncommon.

_Hardly_ means _scarcely_, and the use of don't or can't gives an opposite signification to the sentence.

=Haunt=--hant, not hant.

=Haunted=--hant'ed, not hant'ed.

=Hawaiian=--ha-wi'yan, not ha-waw'yan. Relating to the island of Hawaii.

=Hearth=--harth, not herth.