USE OF “CENTENNIAL”
REASONS FOR SELECTION. Although good reasons have been given for the Government’s selection of “centennial” as a noun in preference to the variously pronaunced “centenary,” many folk, including some in official positions, cling to “centenary” (states the “New Zealand Centennial News”). At a conference in Wellington in March, 1936, Mr J. W. Heenan, Undersecretary of Internal Affairs, explained why the Minister had approved a recommendation of the National Centennial Committee for the Government’s adoption of the word “Centennial.” “It was agreed,” said Mr Heenan, “that to save constant reference to ‘Centeenary’ (with the strees on the ‘teen’), ‘Centenary’ (with the stress on the ‘ten’), and ‘Centenary’ (with the stress on the ‘Cent’), we should adopt a word which called for only one pronunciation. So it was agreed to use a perfectly good word, the educational use of which, as a noun as well as an adjective was settled. ‘Centennial’ is a very euphonious word, one that is established in other countries and one that for all general purposes could be usefully adopted.” ■
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1939, Page 9
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175USE OF “CENTENNIAL” Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1939, Page 9
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