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mortgagee lends; the mortgagor borrows.

Instead of "I took you to be another person," say "I mistook you for
another person."

Instead of "On either side of the river," say "On each side of the
river."

Instead of "There's fifty," say "There are fifty."

Instead of "The best of the two" say "The better of the two,"

Instead of "My clothes have become too small for me" say "I have grown
too stout for my clothes."

Instead of "Two spoonsful of physic," say "Two spoonfuls of physic."

Instead of "She said, says she," say "She said."

Avoid such phrases as "I said, says I," "Thinks I to myself," etc.

Instead of "I don't think so," say "I think not."

Instead of "He was in eminent danger," say "He was in imminent danger."

Instead of "The weather is hot," say "The weather is very warm."

Instead of "I sweat," say "I perspire."

Instead of "I only want two dollars," say "I want only two dollars."

Instead of "Whatsomever," say "Whatever," or "Whatsoever."

Avoid such exclamations as "God bless me!" "God deliver me!" "By God!"
"By Gosh!" "Holy Lord!" "Upon my soul!" etc., which are vulgar on the one
hand, and savor of impiety all the other, for--"Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain."

ACCENT AND PRONUNCIATION.

Accent is a particular stress or force of the voice upon certain
syllables or words. This mark in printing denotes the syllable upon
which the stress or force of the voice should be placed.

A word may have more than one accent. Take as an instance aspiration. In
uttering the word we give a marked emphasis of the voice upon the first
and third syllables, and therefore those syllables are said to be
accented. The first of these accents is less distinguishable than the
second, upon which we dwell longer; therefore the second accent in point
of order is called the primary, or chief accent of the word.

When the full accent falls on a vowel, that vowel should have a long
sound, as in vo'cal; but when it falls on or after a consonant, the
preceding vowel has a short sound, as in hab'it.

To obtain a good knowledge of pronunciation it is advisable for the
reader to listen to the examples given by good speakers, and by educated
persons. We learn the pronunciation of words, to a great extent, by
imitation, just as birds acquire the notes of other birds which may be
near them.

But it will be very important to bear in mind that there are many words
having a double meaning or application, and that the difference of
meaning is indicated by the difference of the accent, Among these words,
nouns are distinguished from verbs by this means: nouns are mostly
accented on the first syllabic, and verbs on the last.

Noun signifies name; nouns are the names of persons and things, as well
as of things not material and palpable, but of which we have a
conception and knowledge, such as courage, firmness, goodness, strength;
and verbs express actions, movements, etc. If the word used signifies
has been done, or is being done, or is, or is to be done, then that word
is a verb.

Thus when we say that anything is "an in'sult," that word is a noun, and
is accented all the first syllable; but when we say he did it "to
insult' another person," that word insult' implies acting, and becomes a
verb, and should be accented on the last syllable.

Simple Rules of Pronunciation.

C before a, o and u, and in some other situations, is a close
articulation, like k. Before e, i and y, c is precisely equivalent to s
in same, this; as in cedar, civil, cypress, capacity.

E final indicates that the preceding vowel is long; as in hate, mete,
sire, robe, lyre, abate, recede, invite, remote, intrude.

E final indicates that c preceding has the sound of s; as in lace,
lance, and that g preceding has the sound of j, as in charge, page,
challenge.

E final in proper English words never forms a syllable, and in the most
used words in the terminating unaccented syllables it is silent. Thus,
motive, genuine, examine, granite, are pronounced motiv, genuin, examin,
granit.

E final, in a few words of foreign origin, forms a syllable; as syncope,
simile.

E final is silent after l in the following terminations: ble, cle, dle,
fle, gle, kle, ple, tle, zle; as in able, manacle, cradle, ruffle,
mangle, wrinkle, supple, rattle, puzzle, which are pronounced a'bl,
mana'cl, cra'dl, ruf'fl, man'gl, wrin'kl, sup'pl, puz'zl.

E is usually silent in the termination en; as in taken,

The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing / A Manual of Ready Reference