The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-11-09

onl y serves to prepare trouble for
the coming school master. After
a time we lose the voices Of our
mothers and give ready ear TO the
gruff, growing and less affection
ate, but more gram matical tones
Of the world. When we reach
college, We have perhaps learned
to. define The niue parts Of speech
and eight OF the definitions we
fail to uuderstand-we are, in our
own estimation, "fraugbt with all
learniag"; our g"ammars are not
satisfactory our dictionaries are
not uniform aud trouble begins
in real earnest. And we are not
slow to find out that one may we'll
make the English Language, of
which pronunciation is by no
means the least difficult part, the
study of a lifetime.
The subject of the remarks is
Spoken English, but much of what
| shall say applies with equal force
to written English, which Is more
exact and polished. In speaking
We encounter difficulties that do
not present themselves to the wri.
ter ; we must not only show a
true acq quaintance with English
grammar, but We must also pro-
nounce with reasonable correct.
ness. Here arises the difficulty of
which l spoke a moment ago: we
would speak correctly, but there is
no uniformity of pronunciation
among the best scholars of the age.
Worcester claims to give the pro-
nunciation approved by majority
of the best scholars Webster and
Walker claim the same merit.
Yet Worcester differs from Webs
ter and Walker, and Webster differs
from Walker and Worcester, on
the subject of pronunciation. In
many instances all fail to give the
pronunciation to which We are &C.
customed; and it is q question in
my mind, how faF we ought to
follow the pronunciation of any
of them. 1t is not likely that they
came very far south of Mason and
Dixon's line to ascertain the pro.
nunciaiion IN use among scholars
at the South. Uniformity Of pro.
nunciation is highly desirable, bu.
there is small probability that it
will ever be reached. The question
then presents itself, when doctors
disagree-when orthoepists differ
to whom shall We turn ?
l WAS formerly accustomed 10 say
suuereignty. On bearing q gen
tleman pronounce the word Sover
eighty, examined the dictionary,
with this result: Webster, in his
Family & Counting House Diction
ary, gives preference to the pro-
nuuciation sovereignt in his
Common School Dictionary, be
prefers sovereignty but in his
Unabridged, he gives preference
to suveroignty. In the face of so
palpable o contradiction, we are
puzzled to know how to pronounce
the word. This, however, is an
isolated instance, and as we must
have a standard to which we can
apply all words under dispute, |
commend Webster, for want Of a
better. If we would speak the
English Language with commend
able propriety, we must early form
a habit of critical observation, and
make our dictionaries our .compsn-
ions. As I have intimated, We
must find out that we know much
less than many of our fellow-men !;
We must dismiss, as far as n Q may
be able, that false pride which
would have a thing true because,
forsooth, we say it is true; and
we must be willing to get infor.
nation from any source, for it
makes no difference how low the
source of knowledge may be, it is,
in one respect, always higher
than those who are ignorant Of
what 1t gives for them. When
ever you hear a word pronounced
differently from your accustomed
pronunciation, hunt it down-go
to your dictionary. l have fol-
lowed this plan with much profit.
In speaking to lady, some time
ago, l used an expression some
what like this: His is a despica-
bic character She used the word
despicable IN her answer, and the
information of her voice plainly
said you mispronounce, 1 say
despicable.' We should not hes
itate about admitting that We Of