catching, and just as inevitable in its run; and very few of us escape it.  It is severest, too, where the sanitary conditions are most favorable to its development.  Where there is least thought and culture to counteract its influence slang words crowd out those of a more serious character, until, in time, the young and inexperienced speaker or writer is unable to distinguish between the counterfeit and the genuine.

While most persons condemn slang, there are very few who are entirely free from its use.  It varies greatly in its degrees of coarseness or refinement, and adapts itself to all classes and conditions.  Many know no other language, and we are unwillingly compelled to admit that while their speech is often ungrammatical and unrhetorical, it is generally clear, concise, and forcible.

Strive to acquire a vocabulary so large and to cultivate a taste so fine that when a slang expression rises to your mind you can use it if you think it best fits the occasion, or substitute something better in its place.  Purity of diction is a garden of slow growth even under the most favorable conditions, and the
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unrestrained indulgence in slang is like scattering seeds of the vilest plants among the choicest flowers.

Societyslang

“This is an elegant day,” “that is an elegant view,” “Mary is awfully nice,” “Jennie is dreadfully sweet,” “Gertrude is delicious,” and “Tom is perfectly splendid.”  The use of such extravagant phrases tends to weaken the significance of the words when legitimately employed.

Commercialslang

Commercial terms are employed in the common language of everyday life to such an extent as to constitute a form of commercial slang.  The following will serve for illustration; “The balance of the journey” for remainder, “he was well posted.” for well informed, “I calculate he will come to-morrow” for believe or think, “I reckon he is your friend” for I suppose.

Commonslang

To materialize, to burglarize, to enthuse, to suicide, to wire, to jump upon, to sit upon, to take in, are a few of the many examples of slang that should be avoided.
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Provincialisms

A word that is used only in a limited part of the country is called a provincialism.  It must be known and recognized for what it is worth, but not obtruded where it does not belong.

Whatever may be said of the faults of speech of the American people, it is doubtful if any other nation, whether it covers a large territory or is limited in area, speaks the language native to the country with the uniformity that we do.  Yet, there are peculiarities that mark the expression of most of our people, even among the best informed.  The words calculate, reckon, and guess are not the only