"Right to Pronounce as You Like"

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 15, 18 October 1935, Page 52

"Right to Pronounce as You Like"

To the Editor. ; Sir,-Majoribanks pronounced "Maiebbanks" js. probably quite correct, but at the same time it is the height of stupidity. The real truth is:there.is no "correct" ‘pronunciation’ of "English, for as. matters now stand each one bas the right to pronounce a- word as he likes best. What is'really required is.a new or fuller alphabet for. the’ English language, and_ all spelling brought into line with the accepted or standard pronunciation of the word. /The first things: I was ‘taught at school. was ‘that "A" sounds "ah," but A carinot. sound "ah," and. never will sound:"ah.": » A’ has-really:eight, sounds, and this is ‘the, ‘beginning of-our: troubles. Modern Eng:: lish "was-* introduced ‘about 1450. when the. London dialect became prominent, the. language, changed: in sound, but not in Spelling, owing ‘to the fact that the ‘early printers adhered to. the conventional Spell-. ing of the fourteenth century, ‘Take our’ word "father," pronounced "farther,’’: ‘but should: really : be "father," ‘as ‘the,

Anglo-Saxon word is ‘faeder," .soi the ‘Seots‘ are not far-out when’: they. ‘ say "faither." In English, if you: are -considered wrong to-day, you will certainly be right to-morrow, and yet: the whole .trouble could quite: easily be: put right.Lam, ete... a . h

LAPSUS LINGUAE.

Te Awamutn.