The Jeweller's Window

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30442, 16 May 1964, Page 7

The Jeweller's Window

Endless Duels

(Specially written for "The Press" by

ARNOLD WALL)

IT interests me, if nobody else, to speculate upon the ultimate issue of the many conflicts between the rival pronunciations of various place names in this country, between, that is, a traditional one which is not suggested by the spelling and the novel one according to the spelling I mean such pairs as Rollston with long o and two syllables and Rolliston with short o and three syllables, or ARundel stressed on the first syllable and aRUNdIe stressed on the second.

Other pairs are Mahlborough and Mawlborough, Hethcote and Heethcote, Mount Somers (Summers) and Mount Soamers; Ellesmere in three syllables and Ellsmere; Wellesley street in three syllables and Wellsley street.

In the long run, no doubt, spelling will prevail in most, if not in all these cases. Some traditionals will succumb earier than others. It has surprised me to observe how Rolliston has prevailed in recent years not because the spelling tempts to sin less clearly than some others but because, as a surname, it is still so well-known and remembered and naturally, as a surname, it must have the traditional two syllables only. In this respect Rolliston may be compared with Menzies which is now, outside

Scotland, invariably Menziz, not the traditional Mingis or Mengis. So, some day, Rolleston and Heathcote may accept the inevitable and join the majority in mispronouncing their names. As a general rule the less orthodox sound is preferred by the younger generation and this becomes more and more so as the proportion of the native-born to the immigrant rises. There will, I suppose, always be a minority who will stick to the old pronunciations. I think that Arundel with stress on the first syllable has a very feeble chance so have Ellsmere and Wellsley and Heathcote (or Hethcut) while Mount Somers, which is not so generally corrupted into Soamers. may remain Somers for all time. Mawlborough may put up a brave fight but must give up the struggle sooner or later. Similar culprits to ours have, of course, occurred in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Arundle, stressed on “rund” prevails in Australia and Canada and, I understand, no longer continues the struggle. Spelling has always been regarded in the United States as dominant almost with supersitition: we have no Delhi here, but if we had I can’t imagine our saying Delhigh as the Yanks do.