SIR JOHN REITH on... Standardised Pronunciation

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 4, 5 August 1932, Page 3

SIR JOHN REITH on...

Standardised Pronunciation

An Interview by.

F. W.

BARKER

Toward the end of 1929 my firm sent me on a business trip to England. As is usual on such journeys, I went armed with letters of introduction, both of a business and private nature. A letter of introduction to Sir J. C. W. Reith, Director General of the British Broadcasting’ Corporation, kindly supplied by Mr. A. R. Harris, of the N.Z. Broadcasting Co., secured a good opportunity for study and ‘investigation of ‘my hobbies, elocution and broadcasting. Owing to pressure-of business, I was unable to use this introduction until toward the end of my stay in London,

and this prevented my accepting an invitation to broadcast from 2LO. On Wednesday, October 9. 1929, at 5 p.m., I took my letter of introduction to Savoy Hill and told the commissionaire that I had an appointment with the Director General-pre-viously arranged by letter. The big man’s private secretary escorted me into Sir John Reith’s private office-a large room furnished in excellent taste. It immediately gave me the impression of comfort and efficiency. While waiting for the Director General, his secretary busied herself tidying the large desk--adjusting the angle of the paper-knife, filling the cigarette case, and putting one or two papers in order. The impression gained from this was that the occupant liked method and orderliness-and got it. A few minutes after 5 p.m. Sir John entered the toom. He is a tall mai with a slight scholarly stoop and an austere expression. His dress and manner gives the impression of a cleric. After reading my letter of introduction, Sir John remarked that he had not previously met anyone from New Zealand on broadcasting matters, and appealed to his secretary for confirmation. He continued that broadcasting concerns from all over the world were in communication with the B.B.C., which was always willing to give the benefit of their experience to overseas radio corporations. Again referring to Mr. Harris’s letter, he said: "I see you have done some announcing. What do you think of our announcers ?" » Having paid particular attention to the announc-

ing from 2LO, I remarked that those I had heard were excellent, but thought affectation spoilt otherwise perfect English. "Affectation-just what do you mean?" I pointed out that it was difficult to define exactly, and proceeded to give an imitation of the 2LO announcer speaking words with the vowel O like "home," oh, ago," etc. Instead of the full round O, this was made to sound like "ew" (the nearest spelling of the phonetic sound). But the way, this is a very bad fault with certain broadcasting personalities in New Zealand,,and affectation, or the appearance of it, is readily detected over the air. On hearing my attempts at imitation, Sir John left his chair and, with long strides, began to walk up and down his room, the while he repeated, "Oh, eu, eaw,"’ and other variations on the original vowel. "There is a certain amount of truth in your assertion," he. admitted. "The B.B.C. make.a point of getting Oxford or Cambridge University men for their general educational qualifications, and have to put up with what is known as the Oxford bleat."’ | .

The question of: pronunciation was found.to be a vexed one for the B.B.C., he continued. Listeners complain about the varied pronunciations given. tothe same word by different announcers. So acute did the difficulty become that the B.B.C. drew. up a list of words which were commonly pronounced in various ways and submitted this list. to a committee of authorities, with instructions to standardise the pronunciations. The committee consisted of Dr. Robert Bridges (Poet Laureate), A. Lloyd James, Lecturer in Phonetics, London School of Oriental Studies, George Bernard Shaw, Logan Pearsall ‘Smith,

Sir Johnstone-forbes ixobertson and J‘ rotessor Daniel Jones, Professor of Phonetics in the University of London. . ' ' These gentlemen did standardise the pronunciation’ of the words submitted, and a booklet was issued instructing all B.B.C. annouricers to pronounce the words as indicated. 1 "We do not arbitrarily say that our pronunciations are the correct ones," said Sir John, "But you can see that our committee is an expert one, and the tendency will be for people to pronounce these words ee

lise our announcers, ala COMUMOM Usase Wilk bhiwes make them correct." -_ The Director General kindly gave me the book» let containing the result of the committee’s work, and promised to send me the second booklet, which was then in process of compilation. This second booklet arrived in New Zealand about six months later, and gives the pronunciations of all the difficult place names in Ingland, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. FTER further questions concerning broadcasting in New Zealand, I was conducted through the ramifications of the B.B.C. This organisation has been previously’ described in this journal, but one or two strong impressions are worth recording. _ The effects room, where broadcast noises are made, claimed a good deal of attention, and I was allowed to take full notes of the methods used to gain certain effects. For instance, a revolver shot

over the air is most difficult to perform naturally, and it will surprise listeners to know that the B.B.C. use an upholstered flat stick on a thunder sheet for this effect. The studio for "temperamental people" was finished in vivid colour effects, more like a bar-parlour. The. "mixing chamber" had recently been constructed when my visit was made, and they were very proud of this unique method of correctly "mixing" all the various sounds in a given item. Any one item might have a voice from studio No. 1, orchestra from studio No. 2, effects from the effects room, and announcer’s voice from another room. The staff of six hundred employees in the one building gives an idea of the enormous amount of work necessary to run the B.B.C. One department handles political correspondence alone and requires a staff of twenty-five. All performers are card indexed with full particulars as to qualifications, telephone number, type, fee, address, etc. One drawer pulled out contained over a hundred cards describing sopranos-so that a programme item can be arranged quickly and with full knowledge.

With Mr. Barker broadcasting is a hobby. His experiences range from organizing the first: radio chess match in New Zealand to interviewing Sir John Reith, the director of the B.B.C., on pronunciation employed by announcers, In the, capacity of acting announcer he has been heard from !YA and, recently, from 2ZW, at which station he was heard in the evening sessions from the time Mr. Strachan relinquished his position there until the appointment of Mr. Henrici.