H.L. Mencken's "The Hallmarks of Americans"


The Hall-Marks of Americans
H.L. Mencken

Mencken was a journalist and a critic. He wrote many famous essays. In this essay, Mencken says about the characters of American language. There is a general uniformity throughout the country. There is an impatient disregard for grammar and rules, which were followed by the word. There is a large capacity for talking new words and phrases from outside sources. There is a general language for whole nation, with minor differences in pronunciation and vocabulary.

Only in America, there is a linguistic solidarity; e.g. the language spoken by the little Russian of the Ukraine can’t be understood by the citizen of Moscow.  The northern Italian can scarcely follow a conversation in Sicilian. Dialects vary from countries to countries in England e.g.: Lancashire miner cannot understand what a Lancashire farmer speaks. A Boston taxi driver could not work in Chicago or San Francisco because he must have many misunderstandings.

Intrinsic difference separates Americans from English. Environment and traditions of the Americans were like English since seventeenth century. The English have respect for what is costumery and they always prefers a relatively stable order. Americans have felt no such restrains because they are restless and impatient. English people wanted something stable. This doesn’t mean that Americans lacks discipline. They are ready to accept any change. The Americans submits to leadership. They accepts even to tyranny. An American is able to welcome a new messiah like the Russian. He adopts a new fashion in politics, new fashion in hats, new revelation of god, new means of killing time, changes in metaphor, changes in slang words.

He likes to make use of language as he goes on. Language cannot be controlled by a school teacher. In short, Americans prefer something new. Using abbreviations is very common for the Americans e.g. O.K (all right), N.G, P.D.Q (Pretty Damn Quick). Language making still goes on America. Slang words have become important parts of speech e.g. Bunco from buncombe. 

Americans are fond of words. Their politics were full of descriptive terms. Their history decorated with grand speech of words and brilliance. They are fond of arresting parts of speech e.g. rubberneck. The word reveals the national habit of mind. They are looking down upon the people who had the ordered form of language. It reveals the unnaturalness of the country e.g. rough- house is a slang word for disturbing violent behavior and fighting. They are fond of coining new words. e.g. corral, bust, bum. It serves as noun, verb, adjective and adverb.

Changes are also observed in the history of England. Changes are common to all languages. Development is more flourish in American language. Growth of language in England is arrested by Purists and grammarians. English language is artificial during the time of Dr. Johnson. The language adopted by Board of government, country, councils, syndicates, committees, commercial firms made the language weak.
“Infirmity of Speech”

We believe in the directness of statement: the Scott professors’ remark about the Americans that they had their own way through the language as their ancestors do for us. The Americans have no restrains in the growth of language. Any kind of growth in language is important for the Americans. Therefore, valuable growth in language is sacrificed by the Americans. He admits, that the English look to the Americans for the freshening of language. The English of US has a restless inventiveness. 

The reason given is racial discomfort and difference of the people and constitution of their speech. The English who compared to Americans are uncommunicative. Another character of English were coolness, quietness. They are calm people, where Americans are active people. English are very conscious of their language. They hesitates to use certain words and expressions, e.g. to hog, to gum-shoe, certain expressions used by Walter Hines Page was eat out of my hand. Such expressions used by them shows American influence.

Americans are superior in their imaginations, e.g. movie is better than cinema. The English man uses the word ‘plough’ and Americans call it cow-catcher. The English use the word-crossing plate and the Americans call it frog because of its shape. We can see that the English language is added with flavor and it is skimmed language. ‘What is old and respected’ is already in decay therefore the Americans prefer the new.

Boldness in language leads to vulgarity. It leads to barbaric inventions, e.g. tasty, alright, semi-occasional. Conservatism in English language because of
1.    Restrains
2.    Purist performance
3.    Sound usage
4.    Lifeless catalogs of grammarians.

So the English cannot find out more in language. But the Americans are restless and emotional people and they hate traditions.


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