TO DANCE OR TO DA-ANCE?

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 472, 9 July 1948, Page 5

TO DANCE OR TO DA-ANCE?

Sir,-I was interested in "Sundowner’s" reference (Listener, June 4) to the Lumsden Southlanders’ rhyming of dance with stance. I believe that most country dwellers in both Otago and Southland use the short "a" in all words ending in -ance and also in words kindred to branch and plant. My own earlier experiences include a warning from quite an erudité Scottish schoolmaster in Southland that if he caught any of us pupils saying da-ance for dance or cha-ance for chance he would give us a taste of the taws. ‘He maintained that the short "a" was not only good Scots but also correct Oxford English and that the long "a" stemmed mainly from Cockney and English as spoken in the Southern counties. Although-perhaps a little illogically -I do not use the short "a" in bath and past, I have found since coming to the North Island that I have more than once been taken for an American. But that does not worry me in the least. I rather admire the American attempts at consistency. What does worry me a little is the fact that I am occasionally looked at askance (not aska-ance) when I conscientiously try to give full value to the Maori "a." On all sides I hear these da-ancing northerners talking about Waitematta and Mattamatta. It seems to me high time our educationists made up their minds on the point as to how the vowel "a" is to be treated. If we are to go the long "a" way in English, Mr. Nash will soon become the Minister of Fina-ance. That. of course, will make no difference to his Budget. ‘Still...

PUZZLED SOUTHERNER

(Gisborne).