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CHAPTER VII `
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ERRORS `
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Mistakes--Slips of Authors--Examples and Corrections--Errors of Redundancy. `
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In the following examples the word or words in parentheses are uncalled `
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for and should be omitted: `
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1. Fill the glass (full). `
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2. They appeared to be talking (together) on private affairs. `
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3. I saw the boy and his sister (both) in the garden. `
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4. He went into the country last week and returned (back) yesterday. `
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5. The subject (matter) of his discourse was excellent. `
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6. You need not wonder that the (subject) matter of his discourse was `
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excellent; it was taken from the Bible. `
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7. They followed (after) him, but could not overtake him. `
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8. The same sentiments may be found throughout (the whole of) the book. `
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9. I was very ill every day (of my life) last week. `
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10. That was the (sum and) substance of his discourse. `
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11. He took wine and water and mixed them (both) together. `
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12. He descended (down) the steps to the cellar. `
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13. He fell (down) from the top of the house. `
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14. I hope you will return (again) soon. `
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15. The things he took away he restored (again). `
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16. The thief who stole my watch was compelled to restore it (back again). `
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17. It is equally (the same) to me whether I have it today or tomorrow. `
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18. She said, (says she) the report is false; and he replied, (says he) `
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if it be not correct I have been misinformed. `
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19. I took my place in the cars (for) to go to New York. `
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20. They need not (to) call upon him. `
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21. Nothing (else) but that would satisfy him. `
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22. Whenever I ride in the cars I (always) find it prejudicial to my `
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health. `
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23. He was the first (of all) at the meeting. `
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24. He was the tallest of (all) the brothers. `
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25. You are the tallest of (all) your family. `
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26. Whenever I pass the house he is (always) at the door. `
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27. The rain has penetrated (through) the roof. `
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28. Besides my uncle and aunt there was (also) my grandfather at the `
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church. `
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29. It should (ever) be your constant endeavor to please your family. `
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30. If it is true as you have heard (then) his situation is indeed pitiful. `
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31. Either this (here) man or that (there) woman has (got) it. `
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32. Where is the fire (at)? `
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33. Did you sleep in church? Not that I know (of). `
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34. I never before (in my life) met (with) such a stupid man. `
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35. (For) why did he postpone it? `
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36. Because (why) he could not attend. `
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37. What age is he? (Why) I don't know. `
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38. He called on me (for) to ask my opinion. `
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39. I don't know where I am (at). `
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40. I looked in (at) the window. `
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41. I passed (by) the house. `
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42. He (always) came every Sunday. `
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43. Moreover, (also) we wish to say he was in error. `
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44. It is not long (ago) since he was here. `
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45. Two men went into the wood (in order) to cut (down) trees. `
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Further examples of redundancy might be multiplied. It is very common in `
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newspaper writing where not alone single words but entire phrases are `
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sometimes brought in, which are unnecessary to the sense or explanation `
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of what is written. `
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GRAMMATICAL ERRORS OF STANDARD AUTHORS `
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Even the best speakers and writers are sometimes caught napping. Many of `
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our standard authors to whom we have been accustomed to look up as `
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infallible have sinned more or less against the fundamental principles of `
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grammar by breaking the rules regarding one or more of the nine parts of `
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speech. In fact some of them have recklessly trespassed against all nine, `
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and still they sit on their pedestals of fame for the admiration of the `
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crowd. Macaulay mistreated the article. He wrote,--"That _a_ historian `
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should not record trifles is perfectly true." He should have used _an_. `
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Dickens also used the article incorrectly. He refers to "Robinson Crusoe" `
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as "_an_ universally popular book," instead of _a_ universally popular `
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book. `
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The relation between nouns and pronouns has always been a stumbling block `
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to speakers and writers. Hallam in his _Literature of Europe_ writes, `
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"No one as yet had exhibited the structure of the human kidneys, Vesalius `
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having only examined them in dogs." This means that Vesalius examined `
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human kidneys in dogs. The sentence should have been, "No one had as yet `
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exhibited the kidneys in human beings, Vesalius having examined such `
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organs in dogs only." `
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Sir Arthur Helps in writing of Dickens, states--"I knew a brother author `
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of his who received such criticisms from him (Dickens) very lately and `
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profited by _it_." Instead of _it_ the word should be _them_ to agree `
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with criticisms. `
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Here are a few other pronominal errors from leading authors: `
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"Sir Thomas Moore in general so writes it, although not many others so `
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late as _him_." Should be _he_.--Trench's _English Past and Present_. `
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"What should we gain by it but that we should speedily become as poor as `
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_them_." Should be _they_.--Alison's _Essay on Macaulay_. `
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"If the king gives us leave you or I may as lawfully preach, as `
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_them_ that do." Should be _they_ or _those_, the latter `
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having persons understood.--Hobbes's _History of Civil Wars_. `
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"The drift of all his sermons was, to prepare the Jews for the reception `
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of a prophet, mightier than _him_, and whose shoes he was not worthy `
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to bear." Should be than _he_.--Atterbury's _Sermons_. `
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"Phalaris, who was so much older than _her_." Should be _she_.--Bentley's `
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_Dissertation on Phalaris_. `
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"King Charles, and more than _him_, the duke and the Popish faction were `
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at liberty to form new schemes." Should be than _he_.--Bolingbroke's `
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_Dissertations on Parties_. `
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"We contributed a third more than the Dutch, who were obliged to the same `
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proportion more than _us_." Should be than _we_.--Swift's _Conduct of the `
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Allies_. `
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In all the above examples the objective cases of the pronouns have been `
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used while the construction calls for nominative cases. `
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"Let _thou_ and _I_ the battle try"--_Anon_. `
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Here _let_ is the governing verb and requires an objective case after it; `
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therefore instead of _thou_ and _I_, the words should be _you_ (_sing_.) `
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and _me_. `
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"Forever in this humble cell, Let thee and I, my fair one, dwell" `
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--_Prior_. `
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Here _thee_ and _I_ should be the objectives _you_ and _me_. `
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The use of the relative pronoun trips the greatest number of authors. `
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Even in the Bible we find the relative wrongly translated: `
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Whom do men say that I am?--_St. Matthew_. `
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Whom think ye that I am?--_Acts of the Apostles_. `
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_Who_ should be written in both cases because the word is not in the `
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objective governed by say or think, but in the nominative dependent on `
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the verb _am_. `
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_Who_ should I meet at the coffee house t'other night, but my old `
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friend?"--_Steele_. `
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"It is another pattern of this answerer's fair dealing, to give us hints `
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that the author is dead, and yet lay the suspicion upon somebody, I know `
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not _who_, in the country."--Swift's _Tale of a Tub_. `
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"My son is going to be married to I don't know _who_."--Goldsmith's `
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_Good-natured Man_. `
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