Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 80.djvu/167

Rh, concerning whose etymology little or nothing is known, may have originated in somewhat similar fashion. The "back-formations" of Dr. Murray, the English lexicographer, cited by Jespersen as one of the means the language employs for the purpose of forming new words "by subtracting something from old ones," belong under the head of "reduction." In this way darkie is derived from darkling; pup from puppy; cad from cadet or caddie; grovel from groveling; difficult from difficulty, etc. It is evident that the "back-formation" variety of "reduction" may be of great service in the future development of our language, being another aid in the process of survival as a world-tongue. A very recent addition to the vocabulary of to-day is "to typewrite," from typewriter—in England "to type" is much in vogue, a word which illustrates admirably the process in question.