THE COMMON ROUND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24334, 26 June 1940, Page 2

THE COMMON ROUND

By Wayfarer An appeal to our well-known omniscience: Dear “ Wayfarer,”—After more arguments than enough, I had thought the pronunciation of Newfoundland was settled a few weeks ago when a 8.8. C. announcer said clearly and distinctly “ Newfoundland,” with equal emphasis on each syllable. Then the other day he, or his mate, came on the air again with a variation which had started all the argument in the first place, something like this—“ Newfund--I’nd,” and hostilities with my wife broke out afresh. Can y<pu assist, or must I sue for divorce? — Pathetically, Omega. Diplomacy and a proper respect fpr the sanctity of the married state suggest that there is only one way to answer this appeal, namely, by decreeing that both Mr and Mrs Omega are correct. Happily, Professor Daniel Jones, who is concerned only with English as she is —or should be —spoke, concurs. Let peace be restored to the house of Omega on this basis. Newfoundland, says the book of Daniel Jones, is pronounced, quite simply and logically, “ New-found-land as an alternative the variation preferred by Mrs Omega is permitted, which is roughly suggested in our correspondent’s “ Newfund--I’nd.” This latter, Mr Jones explains, is the local form, and it is also the nautical pronunciation in England. The dog is always “ New-found-land.” Thus the question is adequately disposed of. Mrs Omega, following perhaps the style .of her father, who may have been a tough old mariner with tobacco-stained whiskers and a rare vocabulary of oaths, is entitled to say “ Newfund--I’nd ” if she wishes. But Mr Omega is equally entitled to pronounce the words as spelt and separately pronounced. Personally, our vote goes to him, if it- will not promote domestic discord. Whatever the local inhabitants may say —and their slurring of the word is obviously dictated by convenience and laziness only, as in our pronunciation of “ Dneedin ” and whatever the modern seaman may say, it is extremely clear that the full intention and purpose of those first mariners who gave a title to the territory was to provide it with a selfexplanatory name. Those who are familiar with Dr Donne’s in which this wnrd occurs will recognise that in certain circumstances “ Newfundl’nd ” is quite impossible, and a thousand blaspheming sea captains cannot convince us that a poet doesn’t know. Our own opinion, hesitantly expressed, yet with clear-eyed, honest conviction, is that the 8.8. C. is not always right, and certainly is frequently inconsistent. The bloody wrangle over the poor body of beautiful France provided enough instances of this. Sedan, for example, was “ sedan ” as in motor car. Paris was “ Paris,” though we never knew a Frenchman who thought so, and the most convinced Englishman must, when in France, adopt the local form, “Paree.” But with “ Champagne ’’ the Daventry broadcasters went on a proper spree, which only ended —as alas France has —with Compeigne. For the various announcers Champagne was “ Chom-pom,” “ Sham-pam.” “ Shompang,” or virtually anything else they could coerce their uvula into except the very familiar “ champagne ” as in Veuve Clicquot and Heidseick. When “ Compeigne ” reared its ominous head, and the best the 8.8. C. could do was to adapt the curious noises made to represent “Champagne” in GallicEngllsh, the result was weird indeed. But now they, like the navy and air force, have started on Genoa —“ Gen-oa,” with the first syllable heavily accentuated. Why we do not know, and possibly the announcers don’t either.

We are neither a plenipotentiary nor a Prime Minister. Like Mr Adam Hamilton we have no inside information about the war beyond what appears in the newspapers and is given over the radio. But we have a common ability, or so we hope, to comprehend English, even if it has an American accent. Observe, for instance, the following from Washington to Berlin and Rome: The Government of the United States feels it desirable, in order to avoid any possible misunderstanding, to inform [Germany and Italy] that, in accordance with its traditional policy relating to the Western Hemisphere, the United States would not recognise any transfer and would not acquiesce in any attempt to transfer any geographic region in the Western Hemisphere from one non-Ameri-can Power to another non-Ameri-can Power. And now, gentle reader, repair to your atlas and discover, if you please, iust what portion of the sphere to which we cling so uneasily to-day is included by the eminent geographers, within the Western Hemisphere. Greenland’s icy mountains, you may note without much enthusiasm, are within this charmed circle over which President Roosevelt extends a paternal hand; and Alaska, Canada and the United States, you will observe without surprise, are therein; so also, as President Monroe decreed, is South America in toto; and so, too, you may learn, albeit the knowledge leaves you cold, is portion 9f a land familiar to the King Penguin and other strange Byrds—Antarctica. And then, having all but completed your survey of the hemisphere, you will find, lurking inconspicuously in the corner, and looking rather badly out of joint, one other candidate, who has just got in by a squeak—those unconsidered isles known as New Zealand. “ Informed circles,” it is said, believe that America’s definition of the Western Hemisphere is broad enough to include Greenland and Canada. We also can believe it. And we can only add our implicit belief that when any defining of the Western Hemisphere is to be done, the best informed circle of all is that of the lexicographers, and in their circle New Zealand is included. Ours not to reason why. Ours but to point out to President Roosevelt and Mr Peter Fraser that a certain position has arisen which requires clarification. Does this mean that the United States is looking to the Dominion of New Zealand to rush to her assistance if the need arises, or is the glad-hand extended unilaterally, to fall with a reassuring slap upon our alpine flanks? These questions are mysteries for Governments to ponder over and probe. But meanwhile we take some pleasure in acknowledging a new and powerful champion of our New ZealancPsovereign rights.

We may not need his assistance, we may not particularly “welcome it; but it is auite nice to know it has been promised. Welcome, pardner!