Identifier: comicenglishgram00inleig (find matches)
Title: The comic English grammar : a new and facetious introduction to the English tongue
Year: 1852 (1850s)
Authors: Leigh, Percival, 1813-1889 Leech, John, 1817-1864
Subjects: English language English wit and humor
Publisher: London : Richard Bentley
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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ccu-pied the English throne, is reported to have said, Ifbeeblcs will be boets, they must sdarve. This was arather curious specimen of Kings English. It is, how-ever, a maxim of our law, that the King can do nowrong. Whatever bad English, therefore, may proceedfrom the royal mouth, is not Kings Ei.glish, but Ministers English, for which they alone are responsible.For illustrations of this kind of English, vCe beg torefer the reader to the celebrated English Grammar whichwas written by the late Mr. Cobbett. Kings English (or, perhaps, under existing circum-stances we should say, Queens English) is the current coinof conversation, to mutilate which, and unlawfully to utterthe same, is called clippinc/ the Kings English—a highcrime and misdemeanour. Clipped English, or bad English, is one variety of ComicEnglish, of which we shall adduce instances hereafter. Slipslop, or the erroneous substitution of one word foranother, as prodigy for protege, derangement 10 THE COMIC ENGLISH ORAMMAK.
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only a little prodigy of mine, Doctor. foi- arrangement, exasperate for aspirate, and thelike, is another. Slang, which consists in cant words and phrases, as dodge for sly trick, no go for foiliire, and Carney to flatter, may be considered a third. Latinised English, or Fine English, sometimes assumesthe character of Comic English, especially when appliedto the purposes of common discourse ; as Extinguishthe lurcinaiy, Agitate the communicator, Are yourcorporeal functions in a condition of salubrity ? A sable\-isual orb, A sanguinary nasal protuberance. American English is Comic English in a pretty parti-cular considerable tarnation degree. OETHOGEAPnT. 11 Among the various kinds of Comic English it would be tozit-d-fait inexcusable, were we to manquer to men-tion one which has, so to speak, quite bouleversed theold-fashioned stylo of conversation ; French-English, thatis what •^ nous voidons dire. ■• Avec un poco of the Italiano, this forms what is called the Mosaic dialect. E

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