What better way to spend a lazy fall morning than in front of the fire with a cup of coffee and a language usage guide from the 19th century?
Answers to that question may vary. However, reading old usage guides is definitely one of Professor Anne Curzan's favorite ways to relax.
Recently, she was looking at one from 1888 called Slips of Tongue and Pen by J.H. Long. The Amazon page for the 2015 paperback edition from Leopold Classic Library describes this guide as "timeless wisdom."
"I thought, 'timeless'? It is not timeless," said Curzan.
While it's true that J.H. Long had some interesting language concerns, it's unlikely you'll hear anyone complaining about them today. That is, unless you or someone you know has some strong feelings about the verb "donate."
In his guide, Long said, "Do not use 'donate' for 'give,' unless the gift is princely in amount or made with great ceremony."
Long wasn't alone with feelings on "donate," which the Oxford English Dictionary records for the first time in writing in 1845. "Donate" was back-formed from the noun "donation" which ruffled the feathers of many English usage commentators.
The way people were using "fix" in the 19th century also seemed to bug Long. He said, "Do not use 'fix' for 'repair,' 'arrange,' 'setup.'"
When "fix" came into English from Latin the in 1500s, it meant "to set firmly." From there, it came to take on meanings like "to arrange" or "get ready." For example, "Let me fix you a snack," or "I'm fixing my hair."
Using "fix" to mean "repair" was becoming more common in the 19th century which was probably what Long was responding to in his usage guide.
For more old-timey language concerns, listen to the audio above.
