Word: mouth
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...Englander makes less culpable divergences from the accepted standard of usage than either of the first two classes, though, be it confessed, the Yankee occasionally falls into an opposite error of making the a too broad, the o too confined, and the r utterly inaudible. In his mouth won't, the contraction for will not, becomes wunt. He is apt to call law lor, America Americar, etc., evidently to atone for his almost universal slight to the r in the middle of a word. Roof, root, and room become roof, room, root, etc. The sound he gives to such words...
...prominent representatives in this century are the works of G. P. R. James. His minute descriptions of his heroines, beginning with the "finely pencilled eyebrows" and "shell-like ear," and extending to the "delicately turned ankle," give one the impression of an elegant china doll; and when from the mouth of this superb being issues a flood of pedantic sentiment, one turns with relief to the "One Summers" of our own time. Here we find something that might possibly happen in our own experience. However unpleasant it might be, there is certainly nothing unnatural in being poked...
...eyes wide enough. Every one likes to have justice done to his eyes, and so you lift your eyelids a little, and when the "proof" comes out, those two very expressive features are indeed flatteringly large, but distended to a degree not pleasant to contemplate. And likewise with the mouth, which is often drawn down about the corners in the attempt to convey a firm and decided expression. In fact, the ear is about the only feature that preserves its normal state when exposed to the camera's awful gaze...
...belong to one of the old school, - gold-headed cane, gold spectacles, polished forehead, etc. He is rarely openly enthusiastic, and is never wildly demonstrative. His emotions of pleasure and disgust he generally keeps to himself. Occasionally you may see a cynical smile lurking in the corners of his mouth. But he seldom follows the text of the book which he holds in his hand, for in the intervals between his naps he amuses himself by studying character in the faces before him; picturing to himself so many future Emersons, Sumners, etc. He is never inspiring, - this typical member...
...does. It has been your misfortune to see ballets in Italy, and opera bouffe in Paris; consequently the clumsy amazons and pages, and the crude, undrilled comedians, do not amuse you at all. You yawn and look about you. Not far off is Smith, with open eyes and open mouth, enjoying himself to his heart's content. He catches your eye as the comic man gets off a pun as stupid as the jokes of a circus clown; and he leans across and remarks that it is bully. You smile and nod, and are pleased with the contrast between your...