SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION

New Zealand Tablet, 11 April 1912, Page 61

SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION

The name of the German poet Goethe r has - always been a stumbling block in English pronunciation. It is said that Goethe street in New York is mispronounced -seven different ways by conductors and-.others.- ■ , A recent Goethe pronunciation • story tells of . a certain confusion of tongues when the executive board of the Dulverton Women’s Club was in 'session. The secretary had just handed to the treasurer a printer’s proof of the club’s calendar. . ’ - ( we re r to have it this week,’-|she announced, he says they must be notified at once of any errors or changes. I told him we’d call him up and let him know.’ _ 7 , . V Here s: an error,’ said .the, member who was ; looking over the treasurer’s shoulder.- ‘ “ Gooth’s Faust.” Gooth, isn’t right, is it?’ - - * * " The secretary stepped hastily to the telephone. - Hello yes -I want Mr. Snow; Snow’s' printing office— yes—o Mr. Snow— very nice, and we’re very much pleased, but there’s just one little mistake—Gooth tor Gothe Second page, second paragraph. ‘‘Gooth’s Faust. It isn’t Gooth’s, you know. Oh, did you? Well you were right; it certainly- is • wrong. No, • not Schiller It isn’t that kind of a mistake. Faust really is Gooth s, only he is Gothe. Yes, quite natural, im always getting them mixed myself.” - Just change Gooth to Gothe, if you please—Gothe—Gothe—what « Yes, of course I will; G-o a minute, I’ve begun wrong G-e-o—no, .it’s George I’m thinking of. Well if you ve got a dictionary it’ll be somewhere in the back—what ? Oh, well, you’ll have to do, then! Ive just told Mr. Snow there’s an error -in dub programme; it ought to be Gothe, and it’s Gooth— Gooth—l „ mean Gothe—Gothe—. ’ • She turned to the others. : ‘ I can’t make dim understand. Mr. Snow was called away, and it’s that new person in the office.’ • v .. , : ’ / Madam president. rustled to the telephone. ' A n P ?n 6 > tW °’ paragraph two. Please correct Gooth ?Y^ r c a ’fi (Ike secretary started and blushed.) pdncr Ger r Ge lia “ Wel, 1 Can say -it .any : The vice-president broke in, j That’s the German pronunciation, isn’t it, and not exactly usual ? Perhaps if _ you said it in English : - / ' ’ " hand^’t an , r ‘°f stately c abnegation,-.the -president handed her the receiver.' ''if* *■ ' Change Gooth to C LA ordered -the vice-presi-dent, briskly. ■: Goty-Goty’s Faust-you must-have

heard of "it—no ? j No, .certainly ; not goatees. Nor goats,, : No —Goty !,. V Dear me, what a dull young man; or else he’s deaf!’ “ . , ; ‘ Try Go-eth,’ suggested one director. ‘ I always used to call it Geethe,’ said another. ’r ‘ Perhaps; he’s a French-Canadian—try; Go-tay,’ r proposed a third. ‘Gertha,’ announced the president, ‘ is right; and my policy would be to keep right on with - Gertha till he understands ; it is Gertha.’ , That is what they did, they thought. When the corrected programme finally reached, the members of the club, paragraph two, page two, read thus: . ‘ February 4—Lecture with stereopticon, Gerty Feast.’ ; „ ' - * . - ' -