Misused Words.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 927, 23 November 1933, Page 10

Misused Words.

R. A.T. writes: Would you please advise us which is correct: “In the circumstances ” or “ Under the circumstances ”. Many persons who are not to be reproached as purists insist on “In the circumstances ”, and “ John o' London ” is one of them. He says that “circumstance” cannot be divorced from its obvious meaning: standing within a circle. One- great London newspaper will not permit “ under the circumstances ” to appear in its pages under any circumstances. “ Touchstone ” once took the same view, but has abandoned it, on the ground that the colloquial use of “ under the circumstances ” suggests a weight of compulsion that gives force to the phrase. Circumstances, in this sense, may be translated, not literally as surroundings, but rather as conditions. “ 8.L.” asks for the pronunciation of carillon and also of Lord Bledisloe’s name. The word carillon is most commonly pronounced ka-ril-yon, with the stress on the middle syllable, and this will pass muster: but the correct pronunciation is ka-ril-on, with the stress cn the first syllable. Bledisloe is pronounced Bled-iss-low, with the stress on the first syllable. TOUCHSTONE.