Z.B. Stations Sully N.Z. Speech

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1941, Page 3

Z.B. Stations Sully N.Z. Speech

[Per Press Association—Copyright] WELLINGTON, This Day. “The colloquial speech of many of the commercial radio announcers, used to gain them personal popularity with the masses, is a deterrent to effective speech and in quality, but more especial'/ ip. pronounciation, broadcasters are often at fault," said the elocution adiucuitnr at the Wellington competitions (Mr. Russel' Wood). He deplored the use of Americanisms, which had become so ingrained in many young New Zealanders that they did not realise that words and phrases they were using lacked taste end rctmernent. Radio Most To Blame It was not so much from films but from the radio that children got so many ox their Americanisms. Mr. Wood expressed strong disagreement with the type of recorded radio play that came over the air with such disturbing frequency. “Why," he asked, “can’t we record effective serials here or import them from British countries ? Because of our friendliness and gratitude pei-haps to America and Americans in general we are in danger of adopting further slip-shod words and phrases from screen and radio, but people with a love oi' the mother tongue are sure to hold out against unworthy additions to our standard English speech."