MISPRONUNCIATION
Sir,-"Listener" (Thames) attaches some blame to schools for failure to teach simple English. There seems to be justification for his remarks. For instance, in local schools, both primary and grammar, the past participle of be is pronounced BIN. To my Dublin ear this is hideous. Another small word "again," is pronounced as if it were a profit. My dictionary (Chambers 20th Century) gives no alternative to "agen." ; Anyway what does it matter? Why should not, Noo Zillun have an accent (pronounced ack-sent, both syllables equally and laboriously stressed) of its own if it chooses? We Homies do not have to say bin or Fal-mouth, and Enzedders to their credit are perfectly polite and tolerant concerning our-to them-clipped accents. % On several occasions I have heard an Auckland announcér give a strange twist to Cawalleria Rusticana. It sounded like Cavalerera WRusticana, reminiscent of Sam Weller’s "properiator."
R. S.
JARDIN
(Takapuna).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19460104.2.12.2
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 341, 4 January 1946, Page 5
Word count
Tapeke kupu
149MISPRONUNCIATION New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 341, 4 January 1946, Page 5
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in