AMERICAN SPEECH

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 252, 14 January 1928, Page 20

AMERICAN SPEECH

SLURRED IN THE THEATRE In the following letter to the New York “Times” a woman correspondent makes this straightforward comment on American speech in the theatre: I chanced to see in a Washington paper an article on the “blurred, slipshod speech of the American people.” Only last week as I passed through New Y r ork a man who goes often to the theatre spoke of this irritating slurring and blurring and cutting of the American speech. “Oh, how I do enjoy an English company!” he said. American actors do not realise how many go to see the English-cast plays just because they can hear what is going on on the stage without straining every nerve in the body. Perhaps you will think this important enough to take up seriously. lam sure the box offices of the American-cast companies will profit perceptibly if and when the American actors give as good service as the English in this highlv important matter of getting their wares to the consumer —to those consumers, to be definite, who make up the great majority of the patrons of any theatre. Perhaps this is one reason why people go so much to the moving pictures! This has not before occurred to me, but I venture to say that it is a true reaction to the situation. It is a situation that ought to be remedied. I belie\ r e, for it will eventually affect all Americans. We imitate unconsciously.