New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16

1t is commonly declared that pronunciation has
no fixed principles. We know that the accent on
word changes from time to time in the same place.
and it is differently pronounced In different places
at the same time In the absence OF definite and
binding rules any one should be free. by logical
inference, follow his choice, yet how quickly
criticise those who pronounce in way unlike
own. The defect Is especially notceaole III
regard to personal names Of foreign origin. some
people say Mollynooks. others Molyno. both right
according to the general admission, each wrong
from the point of view OF the individual The word
sandstone. for example. is well known and rarely
mispronounced. Gladstone is. IL anything, even
more familiar though it is safe to say that not
more than half of those who speak IL give the
pronunciation Gladstun. as practised in England
a generation or more. To explain why personal
name deviates much in pronunciation from the
root words composing II is not easy the chief rea-
son is. 1 suppose, that in the transfer of such
words from things TO persons part of the origi-
nal meaning is included. However there must GER
tainly be some underlying principles constantly at
work. the knowledge OF which might effect radical
changes in our way of dealing with the mother
tongue.
One need not be philologist to find out some OF
the influences that regulate the pronunciation OF
peoples names Ordinary education. II backed by
good judgment and plenty OF courage, should suf-
fee. I say courage because he will be told that II
is risky If not impertinent. TO fix the orthOepy Of
another mans name. Some time ago l myself was
publicly ridiculed for modestly trying TO show how
the Presidents name ought to be pronounced. Even
were man wrong in while. he surely de-
serves something better than a correspondents
sneers for his efforts remedy the orthoepic NAL
ady from which spoken language suffers. Our
everyday usage is as bad as it is because people
as whole, particularly professional educators. do
so little to make 1t better have said that ii is
more difficult to decide about personal names than
others In that case the alleged rights Of the in
divdual block the way; still more difficult are for
ST
Perhaps no better model can be found than the
name of Mr.. Roosevelt. It can be demonstrated
that by changing the sound of each letter two
hundred variations or more be made in its
pronunciation. Assuming that the majority of peo-
pie say Rooze-velt-two syllables. with 90 of room
in the first and knowing on authority, that it's
owner pronOunces it Ro-zi-velt-three sylables.
with o OF rose in the frst-the question arose.
Which is right? What I then offered as a tenta-
tive opinion has since become a firm conviction,
namely, that the majority following analogy. have
adopted the mode that will endure. Robert B.
Roosevelt objects TO this declaring that there is
no analogy of pronunciation according to spelling
in English. But what is analogy? By Webster
we are told that it is agreement or likeness
between things in some circumstance when the
things otherwise entirely different. To it is
plain that the people follow this principle in giving
the group of letters composing the name the sounds
they give to similar group. with which they are
already familiar. The Presidents uncle asserts
word is Roz-uh-velt Indeed. should be the first
to agree with the whole OF his contention If he
added just two more Words-in Holland.
The people natuTaze such names to suit the
English tongue and are right in doing when the
owners OF them avail of citizenship among
They do so even regardless Of that condition. We
say Wagner. not Vahgner. as Germans do at hOme
Italians pronounce the name OF the well known
composer Mascanyi. We Mascagni. or Mascani
the family name of the late Pope is spelled Peccl.
and pronounced Petchi We call IL Pesst, PeslIi;
General Di Cesnola, also Italian. Is pronounced
Chesnola in the original though We make it Ses-