A SPEAKING LIKENESS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25134, 15 March 1947, Page 8

A SPEAKING LIKENESS

(By WHIM WHAM) “It is recognised nowadays that New Zealand is developing its own speech pattern, which, although conforming in the main to the pronunciation and usage as recorded in the Oxford Dictionary, does not do so entirely, and the standard to be aimed at may be taken as the speech of educated New Zealanders."—The Education Department, in a '‘revised syllabus in oral expression” supplied to teachers. I am an educated New Zealander. Attend to me, my Child. Behold your Pattern and your Standard, Heed not the vain self-styled Authority or petulant Professor— Be not beguiled. Hang on my Words and learn of me, Your Well of pure New Zealand undefiled. Bow not to Oxford and its Dictionary, Nor slavishly obey < Its pedagogic Precepts—not for You The Pedant’s Yea or Nay. Attend to me. Your Infant Lispings Attune to What I say. Copy my Veaioul Se’aonds, pronaonance them so; Nor snobbish “Wenzdi” use for Wed-dens-Day. In Speech your Standard, and in Taste your Guide, \ Trust to the Edger-cated; It’s not quite English but it’s he’ao we speak. We’re differentiated, E’aor Own Speech Pattern, forming naturall-ee, Se’ulf-sown, not cultivated.

The Way we orral-ee express E’aorse’ulves Defies the Sneers of the Opinionated.

Warble my Boy, your native Woodnotes wild, They’re easy to acquire. Mix Dad and Dave, a Dash of 8.8. C. (The Voice we All admire), A Nuance of the shatteringly Genteel To Which our private Schools aspire, Aunt Daisy, Uncle Bing, Professor Shelley; Tune in to the whole Choir; What richer, more original Speech Pattern Could educate Tongue or Heart desire?