advantage, of opportunities for study and research, in the way of salary, and in the way of openings into other professions. The rewards that come to one who definitely gives himself to teaching.

3. Discussions. -Two students, one on a side, are to discuss the following or suggested topics. Is America a world power? Are the opportunities for public speaking as great now as formerly? Living in the country as compared with living in the city. Is the world growing better? Do we need both a football and a basket ball organization in our high school? Shall our students learn some trade? Which language will prove of most practical benefit to us, French, German, or Spanish? Shall I study shorthand? Which offers more, civil engineering or writing, as a profession?

CHAPTER XXII

DERIVATION OF WORDS

The knowledge of words is the gate of scholarship. — WILSON.

Synonyms. Synonyms are words which, while not absolutely the equivalent of other words, mean nearly the same thing. They are alike in meaning, yet with an essential difference between them.

Take the two words readable and legible. They have a meaning in common, both denoting capable of being read. Readable applies to interest in the subject matter chiefly, while legible implies plainness of the writing. The manuscript may be legible, whether the story it contains is readable or not.

The English language, from the peculiar circumstances of its history, abounds in synonymous terms. The fine and, in some cases, almost exquisite shades of meaning expressed by two sets of derivatives, the one from the Anglo-Saxon, the other from the Norman-French, enrich our vocabulary in a way unknown to other languages.

Word History. The Anglo-Saxon is the real basis of English. But a great number of our words are derived from the Latin, or from the Norman-French, which was introduced after the Conquest, by William of Normandy, A.D. 1066. From that time on the great body of the people spoke Anglo-Saxon, with an increasingly large infusion of the Norman-French; while the ruling classes

expressed themselves in Norman-French when they could, reluctantly coming year by year to use Saxon.

Thus there were in almost every instance in the speech of this blended people, two distinct sets of words for the same idea. Oftener than otherwise the Saxon word conquered. Sometimes the Saxon word was displaced by the Norman, as in the case of swincan, which gave way before labor.

In many cases, however, the Latin divided ground with the Saxon, color existing side by side with hue, and joy with bliss. Of course, when the idea expressed was new to the Saxons, the Norman word was used. But in most cases both Saxon and Norman words survived, as is humorously and skillfully shown in the extract from Ivanhoe, quoted below. In such case, however, there is always a shade of difference in the meaning of the words.

"Why, how call you those grunting brutes running about on their four legs?" demanded Wamba.

"Swine, fool, swine," said the herd, "every fool knows that."

"And swine is good Saxon," said the jester; "but how call you the sow when she is flayed, and drawn, and quartered, and hung by the heels like a traitor?"

"Pork," answered the swineherd.

"I am very glad every fool knows that too," said Wamba; "and pork, I think, is good Norman-French; and so when the brute lives, and is in charge of a Saxon slave, she goes by her Saxon name; but becomes a Norman, and is called pork, when she is carried to the castle hall to feast among the nobles. What dost thou think of this doctrine, friend Gurth, ha?"

"It is but too true doctrine, friend Wamba, however it got into thy fool's pate."

Nay, I can tell you more," said Wamba, in the same tone. "There is old Alderman Ox continues to hold his Saxon epithet while he is under the charge of serfs and bondsmen such as

thou, but becomes beef, a fiery French gallant, when he arrives before the worshipful jaws which are destined to consume him. He is Saxon when he requires tendance, but takes a Norman name when he becomes a matter of enjoyment."

- From Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott.

Examples of Synonyms. In some cases a word has come to us directly from the Latin, while its derivative through the French has another distinct shade of meaning. This is shown in such words as the following:

The distinction in terms is still more clear, however, when words that have come to us from the Saxon and from the Norman-French are compared. The following list of synonymous words will illustrate this.

For the sake of variety, words that are synonymous, or nearly so, are of great advantage to the speaker or writer. For instance, you may speak of the meaning, sense, or

interpretation of a passage of Scripture.

These words,

meaning, sense, and interpretation, are almost interchangeable, and may be used the one for the other. In like manner, the words, tired, weary, and fatigued, afford variety of expression.

How to Find Synonyms. When you cannot think of the right word, reference to a dictionary, or to a book of synonyms, will help you. For example, Blair refers to a list of more than thirty words expressive of some form of anger.

The International, Century, and Standard dictionaries are all valuable. The Oxford New English Dictionary

may prove helpful.

March's Thesaurus Dictionary is devoted to synonyms, and there are many other valuable books on synonyms. Trench On the Study of Words is an excellent reference book on the subject.

EXERCISES IN SYNONYMS

(a) Finding Terms That are Nearly Synonymous. March's Thesaurus Dictionary gives the following words having the general idea of swiftness, each with its own variation. You are to select five from the list, and compare the five thus chosen with five other words in the list.

Active, agile, eagle-winged, electric, expeditious, express, fast, fleet, flying, galloping, light-footed, light-heeled, mercurial, nimble, nimble-footed, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, rapid, speedy, swift, swift as an arrow, telegraphic, winged.

(b) Definitions and Illustrations. Look up definitions and illustrations, and distinguish between the terms of the following list. Use twenty-five words in defining each pair:

Liberty and anarchy; law and tyranny; ignorance and illiteracy; joy and happiness; environment and heredity. (c) Common Ideas.- 1. In the following list of five words, note the one idea which they have in common. Define each term, and distinguish between it and the term nearest to it in meaning: