NEW ZEALAND SPEECH.
Sir, —I am in hearty agreement with everything "Doubting Thomas" says, except his assumption that the Oxford accent and the English accent are the samo thing. As an Oxonian I -J----may be permitted to say that the Oxford accent, as its name implies, is only a local affectation, widely imitated, it is true, by pretentious youths in other parts of England, but nowhere to be heard-on the lips of the " aristocracy." Let anyono who doubts this take the opportunity of hearing the King on the " talkies." His voice is faithfully reproduced and lie speaks perfect English, without a trace of that languorous bleat which tlio New Zealander instinctively and rightly despises. Tho King's English is real English; tho Oxford accent is an attempt lo improve on it, but, like many other juvenile innovations, it only succeeds in being ridiculous. Wo are fortunate to livo in a country where it is but rarely heard. I.G.G.S.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20236, 22 April 1929, Page 14
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157NEW ZEALAND SPEECH. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20236, 22 April 1929, Page 14
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