The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-07
THE IRISH BROGUE.


When one reads the works of fiction
written by English and American writ
els who use the Irish "brogue" he is
likely to find specimens of barbarism
very difficult to pronounce. The Scotch
brogue used in its pristine purity by
Ian MacI.aren in his stories Is anything
but refined to the ordinary reader I'M
acquainted with Scotch pronunciation;
but the Irish brogue used by Anglo
Saxon writer's is less musical, if posi-
| bic. There undoubtedly is an Irish
brogue, but few know how to use it
properly, in print When the writer
visited Ireland some years ago he heard
different kinds OF accents in different
parts of the country. but in all his pero-
CARNATIONS he never heard the uncouth
and vulgar "brogue" of the novelists.
Some of the Irish writer's who wrote for
the British market caricatured their
own countrymen to please their Eng
fish readers and the "brogue" in their
works is far from being genuine
The accent of the educated Irshman
is different from that OF the edncaTca
Englishman or ScCtChman, and one has
but little difficulty in ascertaining the
nationality of the speaker by the tone
of his voice and by his pronunciation Of
certain words.
When DR.. johnson was preparing his
dictionary for the press he was in doubt
as to the proper pronunciation of the
word great" AT that time Lord Chas-
terrified was the most polished speaker
in the House of Lords, while Richard
Brnsley Sheridan was the most elegant
speaker in the House of Commons The
greet" and the latter pronounced It
CRATE" The photographer adopted Che
pronunciation of Lord Chesterfield on
the ground that none but an lrishman
would call it CRATE" but the Irish
mans pronunciation has prevailed 20
the present day. and is likely to last for
all time. Probably the contemporaries
of Sheridan thought he had strong
IflSu accent anu YET lHe! piGieiiSu w
follow him rather than Chesterfield in
the pronunciation of the word great.
The present Lord Chief Justice Of
England Sir Charles Russell. is an
freshman. and though a polished speaker
he has a rich Irish brogue. One day
when addressing the court he was an
noyed by Sir Digby Seymour. @. c., who
kept up Il flow of small talk. II wish
you would be quiet, Seymour" said
Russell, with his Irish accent. MY
name is Seymour. If you please" re-
piled the learned gentleman, with mock
dignity. "'rhen | wish you would see
The best defense of the Irish brogua
which we have seen for some time is
the following from the Catholic Journal
of the New South, an esteemed contem-
porary published In Memphis. In reply
ing to a local contemporary which had
reflected on magistrate bearing IN
Irish patronymic because of his brogre,
the Catholic Journal says:
brogue. whichever you wish to desig-
nate 1T, that fell from the lips of I'D
mund Burke when he electrified the
world with his mastery eloquence: the
same brogue tipped the tongues of He'll
ry Grattan and Philpot Curran when
England hearkened In fear and tremb-
ling to their fearless demand for Justice
to Ireland: the same sweet brogue fell
pator. O'Connell. when he swayed all
Ireland by his matchless oratory, and
caused the greatest soldier of the world.
that recreant Irshman. the Duke Of
Wellington. to plead on Bonded knee to
an English king to grant the demands
OF OConnell, for the voice of the eman-
| cipator with the rich brogue uttered the
sentiments OF 100000 of determined
Irishmen; this same brogue was heard
from Father Tom Burke when, in reply
| to the great English historian, Froude,
| he visited Memphis and many other
cities and convinced the American peo-
pie that Froude was wrong and lied
/ when he said that England's treatment
of Ireland was just: this same brogue
was a noticeable characteristic Of
Charles O'Connor, the father of the
American bar, and Of James Brady, the
greatest legal light of his age: this same
brogue rich and full. mellowed the
voice OF Burke Cochran last winter when
thousands Of Memphians listened to lis
thrilling address in the Auditorium.
20. yes. dear contemporary, there