USE OF FRENCH WORDS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 235, 15 December 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

USE OF FRENCH WORDS.

PROTEST BY MR. GEORGE MOORE.

"People who use French words in English writing are always those who do not know French very well," Mr. George Mcoro is reported to have said in the course of conversation with an American writer. Mr. Moore continued

"Some people use badinage for banter, and think there is a shade of difference —or, I suppose I should say, a nuance of meaning. Then they write resume, which 'they think more reiined than summary, and in society everv won'.an is tres raffinee.

I met an author who had written

',-ina.ll and petite,' and I asked niin why lie did it. He said petite can mean dainty as we!! as small, and 1 said. 'lt cannot; it means nothing hut small; but, in any ease, if you wanted to say dainty, why didn't you snv d'lintv r'

"In niv newspaper recently I met with an example of this tendency. \ despatch read something like this: 'The Germans have been asked to give up their gold ornaments and watches le he invited down into coin, unless they are souvenirs.' " A man must b:> without any aesthetic sense whatever to write sou-

unir when lie might have written kr.psike, it has a.--v'wiations, that i.rd keepsake; it live®, breathes, runs, i' nips, Hit" : hut souvenir in English I- eoin-e."