Chapter D: =Dahlia=--däl´ya or dāl´-ya, not dăl´ya

=Dare not=, not darse'nt.

=Data=--dā´ta, not dăt´a, is the plural of datum (dā´tum).

=Debris=--dā-brē´, not dē´brĭs nor dā´brē.
Rubbish, ruins.

=Decade=--dĕk´ade, not dē´kade nor dē-kāde´. Ten in
number.

=Defalcate=--de-făl´kate, not de-fawl´kāte.

=Defalcation=--dē-făl-kā´shun not dē-fawl-kā´shun.
Worcester gives dĕf-al-kā´shun. No such word as
_defalcater_ is seen.

=Deficit=--dĕf´i-sit, not de-fī´sit nor de-fĭs´sit. A
deficiency.

=Delusion=, not _illusion_, when deception occurs from want of
knowledge of the world, ignorance of business or trade, or from
lack of acumen generally. Illusions are deceptions arising from
a temporarily or permanently disordered imagination, or from
phenomena occurring in nature: thus we speak of the illusions of
fancy, of dreams, and of optical illusions. The mirage of the
desert and the fata Morgana are instances of the latter.

=Demonstrative=--de-mŏn´stra-tive, not dĕm´on-strā-tive.

=Demonstrator=--dĕm´on-strā-tor, not de-mŏn´strā-tor.
Worcester allows the latter.

=Depot=--de-pō´ or dē´pō, not dā´pō, nor
dĕp´po. Worcester sanctions de-pō´ only. I once had a
friend, deceased now, of course, who called it de-pŏt´.

=Dereliction=--der-e-lĭk´shun, not dĕr-e-lĕk´shun. A
forsaking, abandonment.

=Deshabille=--dĕs-a-bĭl´, } =Dishabille=--dĭs-a-bĭl´,
} not dĕs´ha-beel nor dĭs´ha-beel. The French is
déshabillé, pronounced about like dā-zä-be-yā, without
any particular accent. Some persons, in their vain efforts to
get the peculiar liquid sound of the double l, sometimes used,
distort the word terribly, pronouncing it even as broad as
dĭs-ha-beel´yuh.

=Desideratum=--de-sid-e-rā´tum, not de-sĭd-er-ăt´um;
plural, de-sĭd-er-ā´ta. Something particularly desired.

=Desperado=--des-per-ā´do, not des-per-ä´do.

=Dessert=--dĕz-zërt´, not dĕz´zert, nor dĕs´sert:
_dessert-spoon_ (dez-zërt´-spoon).

=Die.= One dies _of_ a disease, not with it.

=Differ.= One differs with a person in opinion; one person or
thing differs _from_ another in some quality.

=Disappointed.= One is disappointed _of_ a thing not obtained and
_in_ a thing obtained. "He will be disappointed of his
expectations."

=Discourse=--dis-kōrs´, not dĭs´kōrs.

=Disputable=--dis´pu-ta-ble, not dis-pū´ta-ble.

=Disputant=--dis´pu-tant, not dis-pū´tant.

=Distich=--dĭs´tĭk, not dĭs´tĭch. Two poetic lines
making sense.

=Docible=--dŏs´i-ble, not dō´si-ble. Tractable; teachable.

=Docile=--dŏs´ĭl, not dō´sīle.

=Dolorous=--dŏl´or-ŭs, not dō´lor-oŭs. =Dolorously=
and =Dolorousness= are similarly accented; but =dolor= is
pronounced dō´lor.

=Doubt.= "I do not doubt but that it is so," is a very common
error. The meaning conveyed is just the opposite to that which
the speaker intends. He declares in other words, that he has
_no_ doubt _but_ a doubt that it is so; or he does not doubt
that it is false. "I have no doubt but," and "there is no doubt
but,"--are similar mistakes. The word "but" should be left out.

=Dough-face= means one that is easily molded to one's will, or
readily changed in his views, and not a putty-faced or
white-faced person.

=Dragomans=, not _dragomen_, is the plural of _dragoman_, an
Eastern interpreter.

=Drama=--drä´ma or drā´ma, not drăm´a. Worcester says
drā´ma or drăm´a.

=Dramatis Personæ=--drăm´a-tīs per-sō´nē, not
dra-măt´is pĕr´so-nē.

=Drank=, not _drunk_, is the imperfect tense of drink.

=Ducat=--dŭk´at, not dū´kat.

E.

=Ear=--ēar, not yēar. Persons frequently speak of the
_year-ache_, and occasionally "_a year of corn_," may be heard.

=Ecce Homo=--ĕk´sē hō´mō, not ĕk´kē
hō´mō.

=Eider=--ī´der, not ē´der. _Eider-down_ and _eider-duck_.

=Elm= is pronounced in one syllable and not ĕl´lum.

=Elysian=--e-lĭz´i-an, not e-lĭs´sian. Worcester gives
e-lĭzh´e-an.

=Embryo=--em´bry-ō, not em-bry´ō.

=Employe= (Fr. employé)--ĕm-ploy-ā´ or ŏng-plwaw-yā´,
not employ´ē or ong-ploy´ā. Employee is not allowed.

=Encore=--ŏng-kōr´, not ŏng´kōr nor ĕn´kōr.

=Eneid=--ē-nē´id not ē´ne-id. A poem of Virgil.
Worcester sanctions both methods of pronunciation.

=Ennui=--ŏng-nwē´, not ŏng´wē. Worcester gives a much
simpler pronunciation, viz: än-wē´.

=Enquiry=--en-kwī´ry, not ĕn´kwĭ-ry.

=Epsom Salt=, not Epsom _Salts_.

=Equable=--ē´kwa-ble, not ĕk´wa-ble.

=Equally well=, etc., not equally _as_ well, etc.

=Espionage=--ĕs´pe-on-āje or ĕs´pe-on-äzh, not
ĕs-pī´o-nāje nor es-pē´on-äzh.

=Esquimau=--ĕs´ke-mō, not ĕs´qui-maw: plural,
=Esquimaux= (ĕs´ke-mōz), not ĕs´ke-mawz nor
ĕs´ke-mō.

=Etagere=--ĕt-a-zhâr´, not e-tăzh´er-y nor
at-tăzh´ĭ-a. Worcester's pronunciation is ā-tä-zhâr´.
A piece of parlor furniture with shelves, used for placing
small ornaments and fancy articles upon; a what-not.

=Excrescence=--ex-krĕs´sense not ex-krē´sense. A
superfluous appendage: morbid outgrowth.

=Expect= has reference to the future only, and not to the present
or past. "I _expect_ that you are wrong." "I _expect_ you were
disappointed yesterday," are errors. There is an abundance of
words that may be correctly used, as _suppose_, _suspect_,
_imagine_, _believe_ and _think_.

=Expose= (Fr. exposé)--ĕks-po-zā´, not ex-pōz´. An
exposition; statement.

=Exquisite=--ĕks´quĭ-zĭt, not eks-quĭz´itĕ.
=Exquisitely= is accented on the first syllable also.

=Extant=--ex´tant not ex-tănt´.

=Extol=--ex-tŏl´, not ex-tō´. =Extolled=, ex-tŏld´, etc.

F.

=Facet=--făs´set not fā-sĕt´. A small surface or face;
as one of the _facets_ of a diamond.

=Falchion=--fawl´chun, not făl´chĭ-on. A sword. Worcester
sanctions fawl´shun, also.

=Falcon=--faw´kn, not făl-kŏn.

=Fang.= When applied to a tooth, _fang_ means the portion that is
outside of the jaw. This name is often, even by dentists,
erroneously given to the _root_ or part that is set into the jaw.

=Far=, not _fur_.

=Febrile=--fē´brĭl or fĕb´rĭl, not fē´brīle.
Relating to fever.

=February=, as it is spelled, and not Fĕb´u-a-ry, as many say
and write it.

=Feod=, =feodal=, =feodality=--fūd, fūd´al, and
fū-dăl´i-ty. Relating to a kind of tenure formerly
existing in Europe, in which military services were rendered by
the tenant as a consideration. =Feud=, =feudal=, =feudality=,
is the orthography generally adopted now.

=Ferret.= A ferret is an animal of the weasel kind, used to drive
rabbits out of their burrows, and not a species of dog.

=Fetid=--fĕt´id, not fē´tid.

=Fetor=--fē´tor, not fĕt´or.

=Finale=---fe-nä´lā, not fī´nāle or fī-năl´ly.

=Finance=--fĭ-năns´, not fī´-năns.

=Finances=--fĭ-năn´sĕz, not fī´năn-sĕz.

=Financier=--fĭn-an-seer´, not fī-nan-seer´. =Financial=,
and =financially=, have also the short i in the first syllable.

=Finis=--fī´nis, not fĭn´is.

=Firmament= means the expanse of the sky: the heavens. The
meaning, solid foundation, is obsolete.

=Flannel=, not _flannen_.

=Florid=--flŏr´id, not flō´rĭd.

=Florin=--flŏr´in, not flō-rĭn. A piece of money.

=Florist=--flō´rist, not flŏr´ist.

=Forage=--fŏr´aje, not fō´raje.

=Forceps=--fôr´seps, not fōr´seps. The word is spelled the
same in both the singular and the plural numbers. Such mistakes
as, "hand me a forcep," instead of "hand me a forceps," are
very common. Strictly speaking, "a pair of forceps," ought, I
suppose, to mean _two_ forceps; but like the expressions "a
pair of scissors" and "a pair of stairs," the phrase has been
in use so long that it must be tolerated.

=Forehead=--fŏr´ed, not fōr´hĕd. Worcester allows either.

=Foreign=--fŏr´in, not fŭr´in.

=Fortnight=--fôrt´nīte, not fōrt´nīte, fōrt´nĭt
nor fôrt´nĭt. Worcester gives what is authorized above and
fôrt´nĭt.

=Fortress=--fôr´tress, not fōr´tress.

=Fragile=--frăj´ĭl, not frā´jĭl nor frā´jīle.

=Fritter=, not _flitter_, is the name of a kind of fried cake.

=Frivolity=--fri-vŏl´i-ty, not frĭv´ol-ty.

=Frontier=--frŏnt´eer, not frŭnt´eer nor frŭn-teer´.

=Frontispiece=--frŏnt´is-pēse, not frŭnt´is-pēse.

=Fuchsia=--fōōk´sĭ-a, not fū´shĭ-a. Worcester
gives the latter.

=Fuzz=, not _furze_, is the word to use, if used at all, when the
embryo whiskers, or the downy surface of fruit, etc., are
meant. Down is the more appropriate word. _Furze_ is the name
of an evergreen shrub.

G.

=Gallivating=, not _gallivanting_. Gallivanting is a word that is
used to some extent, being applied to persons that are roaming
about for amusement 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=--găl´lus, not găl´lōz. =Gallowses=, plural.

=Gamin=--ga-măng´, not găm´in nor gā´min. A street child.

=Gape=--gäpe or gāpe, not găp.

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

=Gaseous=--găz´e-us, not găss-e-us. Worcester gives
gā´ze-us too.

=Gather=--găth´er, not gĕth´er.

=Genealogy=--jĕn-e-ăl´o-jy, not jē-ne-ăl´o-jy nor
je-ne-ŏl´o-jy.

=Genealogist= (jĕn-e-ăl´o-jist), =genealogical=
(jĕn-e-a-lŏj´i-kal) and =genealogically=
(jĕn-e-a-lŏj´i-kal-ly).

=Generic=--je-nĕr´ik, not jĕn´er-ik, nor je-nē´rik.
Relating to a genus, or kind.

=Gerund=--jĕr´und, not jē-rund. A kind of verbal noun in
Latin.

=Get=, not gĭt.

=Giaour=--jowr, not gī´ōōr, jī-owr´ nor jōōr.
An epithet applied by the Turks to a disbeliever in Mahomet;
the name of one of Byron's poems.

=Gibbet=--jĭb´bet, not gĭb´bet.

=Glamour=--glā´mōōr, not glăm´mur. Worcester gives
glā´mer, also. A charm in the eyes, making them see things
differently from what they really are.

=Gneiss=--nīs, not nēs nor gnēs. A kind of rock.

=Gondola=--gŏn´do-la, not gon-dō´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 assertion 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 passively 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 principal 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
substituted 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 substitution to any doubtful case, I think
it right to assert 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=--gōōr´mänd, not gôr´mand, unless the orthography
=gormand= is used.

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

=Government=--gŭv´ern-ment not gŭv´er-ment. It is a
mistake, frequently made, to write and pronounce the word as if
it had no "n" in the penultimate.

=Gramercy=--gra-mër´sy, not grăm´er-sy. A word formerly used
to express thankfulness with surprise.

=Granary=--grăn´a-ry, not grā´na-ry. There are no such
words as _grainery_ and _grainary_.

=Gratis=--grā´tis, not grăt-is.

=Grenade=--gre-nāde´, not grĕn´ade. A kind of explosive
shell.

=Guardian=--gärd´ĭ-an, not gär-dē´an.

=Guerdon=--gër´don, not gwĕr´don nor jĕr´don. A reward; a
recompense.

=Guild=--gĭld, not gīld. A society; a fraternity.

=Guipure=--ge-pūr´, not gĭm-pūre´ nor gwĭ-pūre´.
An imitation of antique lace.

=Gunwale=--commonly pronounced gŭn´nel and spelled so
sometimes.

=Gutta-percha=--gŭt´ta-për´cha, not gŭt´ta-për´ka.

=Gyrfalcon=--jër´faw-kn, not jēr´făl-kun.

H.

=Habitue= (Fr. habitué)--ä-bĭt-u-ā´, not hăb-it-u-ē
nor hăb-ĭt-u-ā´.

=Halloo= (hal-lōō´), =holla= (hŏl´lä), =hollo=
(hŏl´lō or hŏl-lō´) or =hollow= (hŏl´lōw),
but not hŏl´ler. Worcester gives =halloo= (hal-lōō´),
=holla= (hŏl-lä´), =hollo= (hŏl-lō´) and =hollow=
(hŏl´lōw or hŏl-lōw´). 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.

=Harass=--hăr´ass, not ha-răss´.

=Harem=--hā´rem, not hăr´em. Worcester gives hä´rem also.
Written also =haram= (ha-răm´).

=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=--hänt, not hănt.

=Haunted=--hänt´ed, not hănt´ed.

=Hawaiian=--ha-wī´yan, not ha-waw´yan. Relating to the island
of Hawaii.

=Hearth=--härth, not hërth.

=Hearth-stone=--härth´stone, not hërth´stone.

=Heather=--hĕth´er, not hēth´er. Worcester gives hēth´er
as the pronunciation.

=Heinous=--hā´nus, not hē´nus, hēn´yus nor hān´yus.

=Herb=--ërb, not hërb.

=Herbaceous=--her-bā´shus, not er-bā´shus.

=Herbage=--ërb´ej or hĕrb´ej, not hĕr´bāje.

=Heroine=--hĕr´o-ĭn, not hē´-ro-īne nor hē´ro-ĭn.
Worcester gives the first and the last of the above.

=Heroism=--hĕr´o-izm, not hē´ro-ĭzm. Worcester sanctions
both.

=Hieroglyphic=--hī-er-o-glĭf´ik, not hī-er-o-grĭf´ik.

=Hindoostanee=} =Hindustani= } hin-dōō-stăn´ee, not
hin-dōō´stăn-ee. Worcester's orthography is
_Hindostanee_ and _Hindostany_, but the accent is on the penult
as above.

=Homage=--hŏm´aje, not ŏm´-aje.

=Homeopathy=--hō-me-ŏp´a-thy, not hō´me-o-păth-y.

=Homeopathist=--hō-me-ŏp´a-thist, not
hō´me-o-păth-ist.

=Hooping-cough=--hōōp´ing-cough, not hŏŏp´ing-cough.
Spelled =Whooping-cough=, also.

=Horizon=--ho-rī´zon, not hŏr´i-zon.

=Horse-radish=--horse-răd-ish, not horse-rĕd-dish.

=Hough=--hŏk, not hŭff. To disable by cutting the sinews of
the ham. As a noun, the word means the joint at the lower
portion of the leg of a quadruped; written =hock=, also.

=Houri=--howr´y, not owr´y. A nymph of paradise.

=Hovel=--hŏv´el, not hŭv´el.

=Hundred=, as spelled, not _hun´derd_.

=Hydropathy=--hī-drŏp´a-thy, not hī´drō-păth-y.

=Hydropathist=--hī-drŏp´a-thist, not
hī´drō-păth-ist.

=Hygiene=--hī´ji-ēne, not hī-geen´ nor hī´geen.
Worcester authorizes the first and last.