The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-07-31
ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION.
In the Provinces the Natives Confound All
Rules.


In the Provinces the Natives Confound All
Rules.
There is nothing more maddening.
ly irritating than to keep inquiring
without success for a particular thor
oughfaro OF village and to find when
you have gone far out of your way
that your mishap is duo to tho fact
that your pronunciation of tho name
is utterly different from the local
pronunciation.
A striking example Of misoalling
thoroughfares may be taken from
Wimborne, in Dorset. If you asked
a native of that town for Leigh (Leo)
road, the chances are as ten to one
be could not direct you Alright, but
if by any possibility you happened
to give Leigh the local pronuncia-
ton (Lye) he would put you on your
way Immediately.
1t is just the same with many vii
lagos. Touring in Norfolk, you are
promo to go astray often if you are
not careful. Hindolveston is COM
monty called Hilderston; Acle is pro-
nounced Aikle by many, but the old
inhabitants will have it that it is
Ackley; Sail is locally Saul, and Reep-
ham is spoken of as Reefham. Sim
liar examples are frequently met
with in Sussex. Thus within easy
distance of one another are Cuck-
field, Steyning and Hurstpierpoint.
The first is pronounced Cooktield,
the second Staining, while the third
is locked to Hurst.
In the Same way Badlesmore, in
Kent, is called Basmere; Ringway,
near Northenden, in Cheshire, is pro-
nounced Runjer; Circencestor, in
Worcestershire, is styled Cisiter,
and Koighley, in Yorkshire, is in
variably spoken Of as Keithley.
Again, the inhabitants of Pontefract
call their town Pomfrot, and in the
north generally children ask for
"Pomfrot cakes when they want
Pontefract cakes.
The foregoing examples, however,
are not ,norely dialectical poculiari-
ties, like Owdha,n, Bowton, Rachda
and Blegburn for Oldham, Bolton
Rochdale and Blackburn severally
Rather are they, many Of them
place pet names of which there are
also other forms. One may be illus
trated by Maidstone. Tho native:
of the people about the town gon
orally call it Medstow, which spell
ing the writer once saw ona gypsy
Giving wagon"
Thon tho names of the places are
frequently shortened i'll converse
ton. Bourncmouth is locally Spoken
Of as Bourne, just as Birmingham
is called Brum, and Ashby -de-la
Couch is curtailed to Ashby-della
Nottingham lambs" in like manner
often call their city Motifs, and az
for such places as Market Harbor
ough, Stony Stratford, Fenny STRAIT
ford and so on one of the two word
is considered quite sufficient, either
the adjective Or the noun.
Some towns have their name;
locked, as Wolverhampton, which
is locally called Hampton, while
others are cut down to forms which
no stranger would understand. Tun
bridge Wells, for example, is simply
'the Wells" and on tho same prin
ciple Liverpool is 'the Pool" Com
plete alterations Of place names ar
rare, but the sovereign will of thu
people has gone to that length. Th'
Southeastern Railway company
whom it founded a town in Ken
called it Alfred, name which
though it has its faults, possesses a
least the merit of brevity, but it ha
gradually become to be known a
Ashford New Town, SO called be
cause Of it's proximity to Ashford.
Cassell's Journal.