3752 - Bywords by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 21, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 20.

3752 — Bywords

By Editor

Please explain the harm of using bywords. W.

First, what good are they? What help is it to any individual in the world to use words that mean nothing? That is what bywords do; they mean nothing. If one starts out on a journey which he is anxious to accomplish, why should he turn away into by-paths? By-paths lead him off from the main road. If one has something to say, there are sufficient words in the English language, if he uses them, to say all that is necessary. Why use bywords that have nothing to do with the language? How does he make it any better, or any more forcible, to throw in a lot of terms that have no bearing whatever upon what he is saying? Bywords are therefore utterly useless. Secondly, he or she who uses bywords forms the habit of multiplying terms of this kind until it becomes exceedingly unpleasant to listen to such a one talk. It is not, therefore, in good taste to use bywords. Third, many times bywords are used for emphasis, it is said; but if we deem it necessary to use some byword to emphasize what we say, those to whom we say it will soon get the idea that what we say without bywords is not to be depended upon. One must have a sort of oath in connection with his assertion, in order that we may know that he means it; but this is forbidden by the Word of the Lord. "Let your speech be always with grace," is the injunction of the apostle. "Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." That is, to put it in other words, Let your speech be direct, simple, straightforward, intelligible, proper. This does not imply, however, that there may not be exclamations of astonishment or surprise. These would not be called bywords, if they were proper and reverent. A byword is always an indication of impoverishment of vocabulary. We use them to fill in at first, and then form the habit of using them.