OUR MOTHER TONGUE Random Notes and Little Problems

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23037, 14 May 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

OUR MOTHER TONGUE Random Notes and Little Problems

I HAVE another long list of doubtful pronunciations for decision, and therefore must bo very brief in delivering judgment. "Tousled." This can only be pronounced as spelt, with 4 f_. ior . *} and "on" as m "out. Lieutenant. Most people pronounce this as ettennant, n stressed on "tcnii, whether the term is naval or military, but according to tlie authorities the proper nrfmunemtion in the navy is lew-ten-ant " stressed 011 "lew. Jhe American usage ignores "lcfteiinant" altogether. The traditional sound was "levtenuant' or "livteiinant." ( „ "Data." The English say dsntft, but I cannot blame the New Zealander for saving "dahta," as that is how he is taught to pronounce it as a Latin word. "Status." Though I may seem inconsistent I recommend New Zealander* to call this "staytus," as it has been so long perfectly Anglicised and so pronounced. Choice of the 8.8.C. "Premier." Pronounce "premmier," ns recommended by the 8.8.C., though authorities ' also allow "preemier. "Heigh." This is only known to me a» the partner of "ho." The pronunciation is "hav." "Hostage." The o is shortas in "not"; the "age" is pronounced os "idge." It looks ugly, but is quito proper. "Brigand."' Pronounce as if spelt "hriggund," the vowel ill "and" is obscure. "Nougat." Not yet Anglicised and pronounced "noogah," stressed on "noo." "Himalayas." Pronounced by English speakers with the first a short, stress on "lay"; tho "correct" pronunciation with the first a stressed and long "ah," is pedantic. "AlleghaninH." Pronounced usually _as "Alligainv," stressed on "all," which is sounded like "pal" or "Hal." It is also sometime* stressed on "lig.'' Careful Speakers "Ulysses." Pronounce "youlisseez," stress on 'iiss." "Omega."' Pronounce "ohmigger," stress 011 "ohm"; Very careful speakers may say "ohmegger," but short e unstressed is normally pronounced i. "Feigning." tlio "feign" is "fane." "Protegee." Pronounced "prolitayzhay," stress on "proht" and ?.h as the sin "measure." The first syllable

By PROFESSOR ARNOLD WALL

IS' often "prot" with short o and this is preferred by, for example, the Oxford Dictionary. . "Electricity." Pronounced "illectncitv" or "ellcctricity," stressed on "trie." "Theatre." This is "theoater," stress on "thee," not "theayter" stressed 011 "ayt," which has always been considered si vulgarism. "Interstices." Pronounce- "interstisseez" stressed on "terst." Moscow and Soviet "Moscow." Should be "Mosco," not "cow," which is nevertheless often heard. "Sedentary." The second e is riot, heard, the "den" being as in "sodden;" stress on "sfid." "Soviet." The "so" should bo long as in "sole." tho stress, according to different authorities, may be on "so" or on "et." tho weight of authority favouring the stress on "so," which is recommended by the 8.8.C. "Clematis." After a long period of indecision and innumerable arguments, authority is now agreed on the stressed "clem" and the a short. "Zephyr." Pronounced "zeffer"; 110 alternative. "Ich Dicn." As the German ch is not known in English, and is difficult for us, we make a rough approximation hy saying "ish," which is actually the souna in some German dialects; the "dien" is "deen." "Nightingale." Pronounce "nighting-galc," not "nightingale." Permitted, by Oxford "Inexplicable." Another old friend, stressed 011 "ex" not.oll "plic." "Gibberish." The g must be hard as in "Gibson." not as in "gibber." But in the eighteenth century the verb "to gibber" also had the hard g; and this pronunciation is still permitted by Oxford, though it seems to be quite disused.

"Whoop," "whooping-cough." These words begin with li. like "who," "whole," not with wh. In "who," "whose," etc., tho w is "historical," and the old sound was wh (or hw), but in tho others of tho group it is an intruder and has 110 right to bo there. After the wh in "who" had become h our ancestors were confused and put tho w into words which had never had it; mercifully we have got . rid of "whot" for "hot," and "ivhome" for "home."