Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1866-06-29
The Melody OF Speech.

~o AoAS1y " oPcrc1.
The Boston school committee IN their re-
port speak Of What they regard as a prevail
ing habit of Inadequate and defective utter
ance. uamely "a lack Of melody Of speech. -
and this they consider one Of our national
characteristics. The subject is one Of i'm
Portance. and We therefore make a quota
ton from that report. which sbosld receive
the attention o. teachers. and viii undoubt-
ediy be Interesting 70 all our readers.
Speaking especially % the responsible posi-
ton ot the female teacher. the writer saws.
The brogue q the Irish child. or the
usual intouation Of the Young American.
must be corrected by her. histo her that
we Ea4st look (if he is to supply the want
Of early hone traiuing.) Tor wLat all cias-
ses m America used. educated speech. We
DO not mean BY this the pronunciation Of
eaca separate word. a. learned from the
Dictionary for that is { % a part. and snail
part. Of the voc al culture Of a well educa-
ted ~ vel bred man OF woman. The
words may be given with painful distinct
ness. sounding a. u they we're speh. and
yet the sentence nav have a most harsh and
unedgcated sousd What NC waat j. the
music Of The phrase; that clear. flowing.
and decided sound Of the whole sentence.
which embraces both tone and Accent. and
Which i only % be learned from the pre-
ecgt and example OF an accomplished teach
cr- No civilized nation. a. the present
day. - 50 deficient m agreeable and snish-
ed speech As our own; aad. ss NC are by
no means silent people. the defect i, ex-
treueiy conspicuous.
This Is a iaalt Which We are not likely 20
correct. % we believe what We 50 l-rguen,lv
hear. that NC speak Engllsh better than the
English themselves. Ia a certain sense
this . true. An En.lish miner. or .nsvvr.'
speaks incouparabiy worse tbaa any man
who is to be found in New Eaeland. lie
does not. however. profess O. speak Eng
hsh- llis corrupt and harsh dialect. his
ungrammaiicai aud uEinieliigi5le sentences.
are those Of an iiiiteraie and degraded class.
But an cdacated Englishman. Frenchman.
German. or Italian. who processes 90 speak
his Own language. speaks Il wi,h a grace.
a. ease, an eioqsence. TO which most eda-
Gated Americans make no preicnsion. The
art of speech and tie use Of coiioquiai iaa-
guage must Be learned very youn-. from
hearing Others speak. and from spcakin.
ourseise.i not from spelling books or die
tionaFies- These last teach Us % wrIte.
not 20 speak. The great America nation
Is ihe only ore. 80 Tar as We lnow. (unless.
as Wc hea-, iLe same is true Of Aas.ralia.)
Who spcak lie Engiish language through
tbcir noses. and not through their mouths
and this imperfect uitcrancc j. a. dis;ln-
cli-lab.e and as offensive toawcu educa-
tel car. a. the brogue Of Ireland or tie
burr oi Northumberland. This peculiaritv
Of speech has slowly ard insensiblv. bot
steadily. diminished uader OR common
school system. We believe. too. tbat Il i
les percepubic IN Boston than in most
part. Of Ncw Eneiant; and. Ly proper AZ
teniion in ths primary schools. 10 NAV. az
least. 10 s9itelej. tl it teaches thc point
where 20 becomes merely cbara .ter..tir and
not disagteeabic. We have no desire 20
make our chillrca imItaiors OF thc EngE.h.
i'r that would only bring Upon ibcm tho
fate o! the euinen; reviewer. Who uas sal
% have lost the broad sco,ch and gained
fhe marrow English bsf, sitho8t either A.
i-ctati0u or artifoe. &c NAV teach them a
far more Poii-ied -nd masicsl speech than
has yes r-revailci. aud may Do away vith
whrt i' now The jas. reproacA. that We speak
and write our mother tougsc asT @ we're
q dead langaage.