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Editorial
October 13, 1790
Gazette Of The United States
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
Editorial critiques regional differences in Connecticut's English usage of 'merchant' (limited to wholesale traders nationally), and confusion between 'shop' (retail) and 'store' (warehouse), advocating adherence to standard meanings to avoid misunderstandings.
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REMARKS ON THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
IN the use of the word merchant, the people of this State differ from their sister States and from the English nation. In its primitive sense, this word signified any trader whatever; that is, any person who procured a living by buying and selling. But etymology can not be generally relied on, as leading to the true present signification of words, which depends wholly on national use. The word merchant, in modern practice, is applied only to wholesale traders, and should not be confounded with retailers or shop-keepers. It would not be very material how we use words in Connecticut, if no other people spoke the same language; but this State is but a little part of that great community, which uses the same language; and no person will pretend that we have a right to impose new meanings upon words. At any rate it subjects us to an inconvenience; for when we use the word merchant in our local sense, people abroad do not understand us, or if they do, they suppose us deficient in education.
The words Shop and Store are also confounded in our common practice, Store being used to signify every kind of building where goods are lodged for sale or security. Hence we are under a necessity of introducing the distinction of wholesale store and retail store. This trouble might be spared, by using the words according to their true sense, viz. shop for the apartment or building where goods are retailed; and store or warehouse for a building where goods are deposited in bulk.
(American Mercury.)
IN the use of the word merchant, the people of this State differ from their sister States and from the English nation. In its primitive sense, this word signified any trader whatever; that is, any person who procured a living by buying and selling. But etymology can not be generally relied on, as leading to the true present signification of words, which depends wholly on national use. The word merchant, in modern practice, is applied only to wholesale traders, and should not be confounded with retailers or shop-keepers. It would not be very material how we use words in Connecticut, if no other people spoke the same language; but this State is but a little part of that great community, which uses the same language; and no person will pretend that we have a right to impose new meanings upon words. At any rate it subjects us to an inconvenience; for when we use the word merchant in our local sense, people abroad do not understand us, or if they do, they suppose us deficient in education.
The words Shop and Store are also confounded in our common practice, Store being used to signify every kind of building where goods are lodged for sale or security. Hence we are under a necessity of introducing the distinction of wholesale store and retail store. This trouble might be spared, by using the words according to their true sense, viz. shop for the apartment or building where goods are retailed; and store or warehouse for a building where goods are deposited in bulk.
(American Mercury.)
What sub-type of article is it?
Language Usage
Regional Dialects
What keywords are associated?
English Language
Word Merchant
Shop Store Distinction
Connecticut Usage
Wholesale Traders
National Use
What entities or persons were involved?
People Of This State
Sister States
English Nation
American Mercury
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Proper Usage Of Merchant, Shop, And Store In Connecticut English
Stance / Tone
Advocacy For Standard National English Meanings To Avoid Confusion
Key Figures
People Of This State
Sister States
English Nation
American Mercury
Key Arguments
Merchant Originally Meant Any Trader But Now Applies Only To Wholesale Traders Nationally
Local Connecticut Usage Of Merchant Confuses Outsiders And Implies Educational Deficiency
Shop Should Mean Retail Space, Store Or Warehouse For Bulk Goods
Using Standard Terms Avoids Need For Distinctions Like Wholesale/Retail Store