Page:Ralcy H. Bell - The Mystery of Words (1924).pdf/161

 is not of recent appearance. It goes far back into the history of language. All tongues, ancient and modern, abound in examples. This transformation of meaning conforms to a law of mentality working en masse. It has perplexed the etymologist perhaps more than any other specialist.

The richness of a tongue is owing largely to the facility with which words take on new meanings whilst retaining vestiges of the old. Values are multiplied whenever a word may be used in several senses on as many different occasions. One purpose makes it desirable to employ a word in its broad and general use, while it accords with another aim to restrict its meaning. Metaphorically, a word may mean one thing, and strictly, quite another. Logically, a word may be both concrete and abstract. Thus, language is enabled to meet the changing requirements of society made necessary by the diversity of intellectual pursuits.

All the institutions of society, all the fields