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Signature, over or under? A man writes under, not over, a signature. Charles Dickens wrote under the signature of "Boz"; Mr. Samuel L. Clemens writes under the signature of "Mark Twain."

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The reason given in Webster's Dictionary for preferring the use of under is absurd-viz., that the paper is under the hand in writing. The expression is elliptical, and has no reference to the position either of the signature or of the paper. 'Given under my hand and seal" means "under the guarantee of my signature and my seal." "Under his own signature” or “name” means “under his own character, without disguise." "Under the signature of Boz" means under the disguise of the assumed name Boz." We always write under a certain date, though the date be placed, as it often is, at the bottom of the page.

Signs. In one of the principal business streets of New York there is a sign that reads, “German Lace Store." Now, whether this is a store that makes a specialty of German laces, or whether it is a store where all kinds of lace are sold, kept by a German or after the German fashion, is something that the sign doubtless means to tell us, but, owing to the absence of a hyphen (“German-Lace Store," or German Lace-Store"), does not tell us. Nothing is more common than erroneous punctuation in signs, and gross mistakes by the unlettered in the wording of the simplest printed matter.

The bad taste, incorrect punctuation, false grammar, and ridiculous nonsense met with on signs and placards, and in advertisements, are really surprising. An advertisement tells us that “A pillow that assists in procuring sleep is a benediction"; a placard, that they have "Charlotte de Russe" for sale within, which means, if it means anything, that they have for sale somebody or something called Char

lotte of Russian; and, then, on how many signs do we see the possessive case when the plural number is intended!

Simile. In rhetoric, a direct and formal comparison is called a simile. It is ordinarily denoted by like, as, or

so; as,

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"I have ventured,

Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
These many summers in a sea of glory."

Thy smile is as the dawn of vernal day.”—Shakespeare.
'As, down in the sunless retreats of the ocean,

Sweet flow'rets are springing no mortal can see ;
So, deep in my bosom, the prayer of devotion,

Unheard by the world, rises silent to thee."-Moore. "'Tis with our judgments as with our watches: none Go just alike, yet each believes his own."-Pope. "Grace abused brings forth the foulest deeds,

As richest soil the most luxuriant weeds."-Cowper. “As no roads are so rough as those that have just been mended, so no sinners are so intolerant as those who [that] have just turned saints."-Lacon.

Simply. Inelegant usage frequently makes this word do duty nowadays for really, absolutely, etc.

"The amount of noise made over Mr. Matthew Arnold and his opinions upon America are so utterly disproportionate to the importance of the gentleman, that they become simply ridiculous, and, to a certain extent, nauseating."

"The vegetation of the island is simply magnificent, everything appearing to grow spontaneously."

"His elocution is simply delightful, as a fine accomplishment."

Sin. See CRIME.

Since Ago. Dr. Johnson says of these two adverbs;

Reckoning time toward the present, we use since; as, ‘It ‘is a year since it happened.' Reckoning from the present, we use ago; as, 'It is a year ago.' This is not, perhaps, always observed."

Dr. Johnson's rule will hardly suffice as a sure guide. Since is often used for ago, but ago never for since. Ago is derived from the participle agone, while since comes from a preposition. We say properly, “not long” or “some time ago [agone].”

In the following sentences since should in every instance be ago:

"Traveling in Italy Forty Years Since."

"At a wedding not long since among the presents displayed was a $10,000 bank note from the father of the bride."

"I left my wife here when I sailed for England, six months since," remarked Mr. Burton.

"We noticed, some weeks since, the fashion of trimming ladies' hats with the heads of kittens."

Since requires an object, a clause after it, thus: "Since then"; "since that time"; "since I saw you”; “since I heard from him last"; "there has been nothing done about it since you were here."

"Theo and Judic are both widows now. About a month ago M. Judic 'went over to the majority' [very offensive slang], and a couple [a few] of days since [ago] M. Theo followed,” etc.—Evening Telegram.

Since when. Often heard when the proper locution is, "Since that time," or 'Since what time?" according to

the meaning.

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Sing. Of the two forms-sang and sung-for the imperfect tense of the verb to sing, the former—sang—is to be preferred.

Single. This word is frequently used superfluously. "He [Li Hung Chang] is known to have amassed a colossal fortune, reputed by many to be the largest possessed by any single individual in the world."-London Times. The word individual unaided conveys the idea of

oneness.

Slander. See ASPERSE.

Slang. The slang that is heard among respectable people is made of genuine words, to which an arbitrary meaning is given. It is always low, commonly coarse, and not unfrequently foolish. With the exception of cant, there is nothing that is more to be shunned. We sometimes meet with persons of considerable culture that interlard their talk with slang expressions, but it is safe to assert that they are always persons of coarse natures.

Smart. See CLEVER.

Smash. Here is a use of the verb to smash that will be relished by lovers of slang: "It is likely that those figures will be smashed at the Cambridge-Yale meeting.”— N. Y. Evening Sun.

Smell of. See TASTE OF.

So. See As; SUCH; THAT.

Sobriquet. Very often misspelled; thus, soubriquet, which is wholly unauthorized.

Solecism. In rhetoric, a solecism is defined as an offense against the rules of grammar by the use of words in a wrong construction; false syntax.

“Modern grammarians designate by solecism any word or expression which [that] does not agree with the established usage of writing or speaking. But, as customs change, what at one time is considered a solecism may at another time be regarded as correct. A solecism, therefore, differs from a barbarism, inasmuch as the latter consists in the

use of a word or expression which [that] is altogether contrary to the spirit of the language, and can, properly speaking, never become established as correct."-Penny Cyclopædia. See also BARBARISM.

So much so. "The shipments by the coast steamers are very large, so much so [large?] as to tax the capacity of the different lines." The sentence should be, "The shipments by the coast steamers are very large, so large as to tax," etc.

"He was very much excited and exceedingly drunk, so much so [drunk] that he had got a lady to bring him home."

"The summer is very rainy, and the rest of the year is very dry, so much so [dry] that the grass turns into dust."

"Her individuality, indeed, is very striking; so much so [striking] that her friends," etc.

"He was sick, but not so much so [sick] as he thought." This is certainly a locution to be avoided.

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Some. Often misused for somewhat; thus, "She is some better”; “He is some wiser for his experience”; “I am some stronger than I was. In these examples some, it will be seen, is used as an adverb, which it properly never is. "To English ears," says Proctor, "an American use of the word some sounds strange-viz., as an adverb. An American will say, "I think some of buying a house," or the like, for "I have some idea of buying," etc.

Something. This word and anything are not interchangeable, though many writers seem to think they are. Something is restrictive, is particular, exclusive, while anything is general, unlimited.

Something (not everything) which [that] is owed or rightfully required is said to be due."-Standard Dictionary.

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