OUR OWN SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 208, 3 September 1934, Page 5

OUR OWN SPEECH.

N.Z. DIALECT. MUSIC EXAMINER'S VIEW. IMPRESSED BY DOMINION. That New Zcalanders are definitely acquiring a dialect of their own and that they should be proud of it, just as the inhabitants of the various parts of England are proud of their peculiarities of speech, is the opinion of Dr. James Lyon, examiner for Trinity College of Music, who is at present touring the South Island (states the "Press.") "New Zealand speech has some very unmusical i vowel sounds and some slovenly conson-

ants," he remarked, "but it is not nearly as bad as it might be. You are certainly gaining a. speech "of your own. "The New Zealand dialect is not a bad one," he added, "It is certainly a dialect, but not an unpleasant dialect like the American 'slanguage.' Of course, there are a great many slang words used in New Zealand, and I suppose they have been picked up from the pictures, which is a pity. "I am in love with your country," Dr. "Lyon remarked. "It is remarkably beautiful and the people seem to be wonderfully hospitable. I have been received with the most remarkable kindness everywhere I have been." Dr. Lyon said that so far during his tour he had seen some very good work and none that was really bad, While he had seen evidence of very sound teaching practice. He had just returned from the West Coast and North Canterbury. "The violin work was quite the best I have heard so far," he said. "I have heard some really fine talent." V