difficult for those who have not frequent opportunities for conversation
with well-educated people, to avoid using expressions which are not
current in society, although they may be of common occurrence in books.
As they are often learned from novels, it will be well for the reader to
remember that even in the best of such works dialogues are seldom
sustained in a tone which would not appear affected in ordinary life.
This fault in conversation is the most difficult of all to amend, and it
is unfortunately the one to which those who strive to express themselves
correctly are peculiarly liable. Its effect is bad, for though it is not
like slang, vulgar in itself, it betrays an effort to conceal vulgarity.
It may generally be remedied by avoiding any word or phrase which you
may suspect yourself of using for the purpose of creating an effect.
Whenever you imagine that the employment of any mere word or sentence
will convey the impression that you are well informed, substitute for
it some simple expression. If you are not positively certain as to the
pronunciation of a word, never use it. If the temptation be great,
resist it; for, rely upon it, if there be in your mind the slightest
doubt on the subject, you will certainly make a mistake. Never use a
foreign word when its meaning can be given in English, and remember that
it is both rude and silly to say anything to any person who possibly may
not understand it. But never attempt, under any circumstances whatever,
to utter a foreign word, unless you have learned to pronounce correctly
the language to which it belongs."

There is need for the admonition to open the mouth well. Many people
speak with half-closed teeth, the result being that the quality of voice
and correctness of pronunciation are greatly impaired. Consonants and
vowels should be given proper significance. Muffled speech is almost as
objectionable as stammering.