A NEW ZEALAND DIALECT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21257, 31 August 1934, Page 10

A NEW ZEALAND DIALECT

■ ♦ - MI'SIC EXAMINER'S LMPRESSFONS <;ainj\<, \ si'i;i:cu 01 oik own That New Zealahders arc definitely acquiring a dialect oi 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, i.s the opinion of Dr. James Lyon, examiner for Trinity College of P.'usic, who is at present touring the South Island. '"New Zealand speech has some very unmusical vowel pound., nnri some slovenly consonant.;,' 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 i.s certainly a dialect, but not an unpleasant dialect lilce the American 'slanguage.' Discourse, there are a great many sla'ng words used in New Zealand, and I suppose they, have been picked up from the pictures, whicn is a pity. "J 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 J have been." '•Some Very Good Work" 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 hail 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, while there has also been some excellent piano work. I am looking forward to hearing some good performances in Christchurch."