OUR MOTHER TONGUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22741, 29 May 1937, Page 4 (Supplement)

OUR MOTHER TONGUE

CC~TT~jt NCYCLICAL." The pronuni~" ciation of this word with the long i sound as in "cycle" and "encyclopaedia," is very tempting and is used by most people who are not familiar with it as a spoken word. The true pronounciation is ''ensikklical." This is traditional, and the authorities of the eighteenth century offer no alternative. It is also the accepted pronunciation in the Roman Catholic Church, so that there can be no possible doubt about it. "Encyclopaedia" is equally well fixed with the long i sound, but there seems to be no very clear reason why these two should he treated so differently for one would have expected them to run in double harness. "Ordeal." The authorities, including the 8.8.C., prescribe "ordeeal," with the stress on ee, as the correct pronunciation, but "ordeel," with the same stress, is also permitted. The word has a curious and instructive history for this "correct" pronunciation is quito 'artificial and can only bo explained by the fact that the word has a Latin look, suggested both by the "ord" and by the analogy with words like "ideal." Purely English It is really a purely English, and very old word composed of an Anglo-Saxon prefix—"or"—meaning "out of" and our familiar "deal." It happened that the prefix "or" fell out of use and became unrecognisable, with the result which we see (or hear). In the eighteenth century it was actually pronounced not only as we have it now, but also as "orjeel," which latter sound has entirely vanished. "Conversion." My attention has been drawn to a peculiar and quite unorthodox pronunciation of this, and of "version," with the sound of zh, as in "measure" instead of sh. It is indeed very frequently heard, and it is really very difficult to guess why people have fallen into this habit for such a pronunciation has no warrant and does not seem to have been suggested by any other word or group of words. It is true that many people pronounce "Persia" and "Persian" with the same zh sound, but this is also quite unwarranted and recognised by no authority. There is the same tendency in the case of "Asia" and "Asiatic." Obscure Vowel, Sound

"Administrative." This is one of a fairly large group in which a small problem arises. The question is whether the "stmt" is to have the sound "ayt," as in "strait," or to be pronounced with the "obscure" vowel sound. Both are allowed, but the consensus of expert •

Random Notes —No. lxxx.

By PROFESSOR ARNOLD WALL

opinion is in favour of "strayt." This decision is, I take it, a concession to those who find the obscure sound difficult in such a position. On abstract principles, if such principles can be recognised at all in such cases, the sound should rather be obscure. This applies to "authoritatively" and many other large mouthfuls. "Cheviot." and "Teviot." It is rather bad luck for the New Zealander that these two, which look like twins, should not be pronounced alike. The e in "Cheviot" is short, "Teviot" is properly pronounced as "Teeviot." Fortunately "Teviot" is in Otago, where the people may be expected to be more or less familiar with the pronounciation of a Scots word. Land We Live In "New Zealand." It seems odd that there should be any variation in the sound of the name of our country itself, yet it is unfortunately so. 1 have already commented on the tendency to pronounce the "land" without any vowel, as if spelt "lud." There is also a strong tendency in some speakers to make the "Zea" much too short, in fact they pronounce the word as if spelt "Zillend." Needless to sav. this is a most irregular and reprehensible pronunciation and should be punished with the utmost rigour of the law. "Waltz." 1 have been asked to comment on the pronunciation of this with a short o instead of the long sound "wawlse." The- error is regrettably common, the word falling into line with "salt" and its group, in which the best authorities recommend the long "sawlt," etc. "Waltz," according to these authorities, is to be pronounced so as to rhyme perfectly with "false." Spanish Words "Alcazar." This is only one of the many names which have been" frequently mentioned in the news during the last year and have raised doubts and puzzled speakers. The name, when Anglicised as it often is. is pronounced with the sound of z and the stress on "caz," but it seems desirable that something more closely approximating to the Spanish should at least be attempted, that is, with the z as th and the stress on the final syllable. As the name of a music-hall it can only have the English sound. "Bade." The authorities agree that this should ho pronounced as "bad." It is most unfortunate that the misleading spelling with the final e has persisted, for the pronunciation as "bayd" is often heard as a result of it. The traditional pronunciation was neither "bad" nor "bayd," but "bnlul," with the long a as in "father," which continued in use well into the nineteenth century. A similar case is that of "decade," whose spelling is a pitfall.