PRINCE OF WALES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4527, 6 November 1930, Page 2

PRINCE OF WALES.

MAKES STARTLING ‘CONFESSIONS.

London, Nov. 3

The Prince of Wales and Prince George were guests of honour at a dinner given by the Stage Golfing Society al the Savoy Hotel. All the best-known actors were present and Mir. Leslie Henson, the musical comedy player, presided. Responding to the toast of his health 'the Prince of Wales said: "We at all times have broken rules i.ii 'Sunday, and J am breaking one now by speaking on a Sunday night, but what I want, to fell you is that [1 am a ililthv golfer, and a filthy speaker, hut I do like to keep I'tm clean. It is written: ‘All the world's a stage.’ Nowadays, all Ihe world is a golf course. We get into traps at golf and learn how lo get. out of them. We get into Imps, in our jobs, and if golf helps us to get out of our jobs—well, that’s all right.” (Loud laughter). The Pirince went on to tell golfing stories, including one regarding an attractive woman whom an eminent ace described as belonging to a class who either replaced the turf or returfed the place.

“If (lie popular Prince of Wales was accurately reported,” writes “Pedagogue,” in the “Dominion,” “hi! should Ihe told in very plain words that, lie, of all persons, should studiously refrain from so (la-y-rant ;in abuse of the English language. It is with regret that I have been forced to the conclusion that many of our words are losing their true meaning through a wanton disregard or a misapplication of terms, and by the nse (or misuse) of adjectives iu a sense that was never contemplated. “The Prince’s description of himself as a ‘filthy speaker’ may be misinterpreted by many, in the dictionary at my elbow “filthy” is said to mean ‘dirty,’ ‘unclean,’ ‘using foul thoughts or words,’ ‘state of being filthy,’ ‘foulness of thought, speech, or action.’ Now, no one who is aware of the line sportsmanship and sterling- character of the Prince of Wales will lake him literally at his own valuation. It will ihe generally understood that lie meant to convey that he was a ‘rotten’ speaker, and here one lias to misuse another adjective to explain the Prince’s error. If he had just said he was a ‘rotten’ golfer and speaker, few would have commented on the phrase, but it is new to New Zealanders to have the wo<nl ‘rotten’ (meaning, in this case, ‘not too good’) extended to the very objectionable word Mil thy.’ “Perhaps notice should be taken, too. of the circumstances under which the word was misused. Stage folk love to be foremost in the use of the latest slang- words. It may be that his Royal Highness had the impression that he was giving a lead. The trouble is that the actor is only too ready to imitate, when so prominent, a person gives a lead, so we may with a certain confidence look forward to hearing the word ‘.filthy’ used freely on the stage in future. “It cannot be doubted that the Prince has done a disservice to the cause of pure English, no matter ghat interpretation he intended to be put upon the meaning of the word he used.”