d with such
matters; and a list of all such words with their English history would
be a good example of the sort of academic service which this Society
might render.

II. The large and necessary importation of foreign words into the
English language has undoubtedly weakened its ancient word-making
powers; and while all fantastic and awkward inventions and
ill-sounding compounds should be avoided, it seems desirable to give
at least a fair chance to words formed out of English material. Such
new English words, especially new English compounds, need, it would
seem, to be used for some little time before we can overcome our
dislike of them, while terms of Greek and Latin origin, however
cumbrous and unsuitable they may be, are accepted almost without
question. We would discourage such unimaginative and artificial
formations, and on principle prefer terms made of English material,
which are easily understood and naturally spoken by English-speaking
people.

III. Until recent years English writers were in the habit of
experimenting somewhat freely in language, and to their word-coining
activity we owe many of our current and most useful terms. But since
Carlyle there have been until lately few experiments of this kind.
Many words are added every year to the English vocabulary, but they
are for the most part the deliberate creations of scientific writers;
while the very men who should concern themselves with this matter
stand aloof, and leave it to those who by nature and profession are
least sensitive to the aesthetic requirements. We would therefore
encourage those who possess the word-making faculty to exercise it
freely; and we hope in the future that suggestions from our members
may help men of science and inventors in their search for new and
appropriate names.

IV. Although men of letters may occasionally add to the resources of
the language by word-coinage, their main activity is and must be one
of selection. They are forced, for the most part, to choose their
vocabulary from the supplies at hand, and by their choice they do much
to give prevalence to the words which meet with their approval. Now,
believing that language is or should be democratic both in character
and origin, and that its best word-makers are the uneducated, and not
the educated classes, we would prefer vivid popular terms to the
artificial creations of scientists. We shall often do better by
inquiring, for instance, not what name the inventor g