THE LANGWIDGE QUESTION

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 6

THE LANGWIDGE QUESTION

[By WHIM WHAM] ‘ The decline of language studies in New Zealand was called "a national disaster” by Sir John Sheppard, Provost of King’s College, Cambridge. . . . In Britain, he said, a decline in the study of classical languages since the war had been reversed.—News item. It won’t do, Sir John, it won’t DO! Us Jokers aren’t listening to You. To us Jokers you might as well speak In Hebrew or Latin or Greek, In French, Hindustani, Chinese — You can talk in Whichever you please And I reckon it All comes to much The same Thing, which is plain double Dutch/ The Business World, Beeby and Me Like Birds in a Nest all agree That Languages, specially when dead. Need neither be spokfen nor read, A partial and grudging Exception of course Being English, which Jokers perforce Must struggle with—difficult stuff Of which there is More than Enough. Beeb says, and us Jokers concur, That this ’ere’s an unwarranted Slur, Also an Insult—yes, Sur, John, on the kinda moddern Ejacation Chuldren are recieving in our Nation. ONE is All they can cope With and any of your old clasical Rope Has no Plase in such a practikle Patern —Can you say “Godzone Country” in Lattin? Is the Rasing Page printed in Greke? Is That what our leading Sittizens speek? Why nekst Thing youl be trying to tell Us is us Jokers do ’no how to spel!