NEW WORDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 806, 2 May 1910, Page 3

NEW WORDS.

New words make an amusing study (says the "Queen"). The Boer ;var gave us "trek," "maffick," and "commandeer," and the Coronation gave the verb to "coronate." ' Motors and airships are responsible for fresh expressions. The former found us to "mote, "motoritos," "garage," and "chauffeur" ;; and the latter supplied us with "aviators," "aeronauts," and "aviation." And wc are now familiar with the useful . terms "wires," ■•'phones," and "taxis." Then our American friends have made us a present of some terse phraseology. When they want us to be punctual they toll us to bo "on time," and when they wish us to be quick they ask us to "hustle." And they 'have taught us the word "bud" for a girl, "waist" for a blouse, and "multi" for a millionaire. All these are portable terms, but we are now burdened by their ponderous words "hotelisation" and "electrification." Then, whether for good or '11, a cortain set of words have come into constant use in hooks and journalism. Of these are the well-worn terms "weird," "quaint," "keen," "cheery," "trend,"-, "outlook," and "unthinkable"!; and, when writing _of social affairs, "fixture," "function," and "entertainment." The English language may be less pure than of yore, but it has picked up many new colloquialisms.