New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-21
THE AMERICAN VOICE.
Women Aduised to Adopt English
Pronunciation. but Not Accent.

DO you say Mary or Marry? GLORY
or Glory? Sarah" or "sair-ah"?
Because II you divide up your syIlables into
mean little short sounds. instead Of broadening
out richly in the English style you are stu one
Of those unregenerate Americans for whose ben
eft Miss Mary 5. Thompson talked yesterday at
the League for Political Education
American Speech and What to DO About It.
was Miss Thompson's topic, for. she stated
CT the beginning so much has been said about
US we must really take hold seriously and 10
something
who are our critics." pursued the speaker
s'yyen Richard Grant White back in 1880 and
now dear Mr. Howells and Henry James,
our dear Mr.. James, our expatriated father Mr..
James Mr. White differed from HoWells in say
ing frankly that American womens voices were
worse than the mems and maintained that there
was fixed standard for speaking. the usage OF
high class English people living I'm England.
And that of course. includes the Irish and the
Scotch too.
..HowelIs.n Miss Thompson said, begged the
whole question. He says we are the most de-
nghtful beings-nothing can touch us-he sweet
ems Us up and smooths down. and then winds
up by asserting that he hears the most horrible
voices all around him and he hopes this matter
will be taken up seriously.
'As for Mr.. James he. too. says American
women are the most beautifully dressed in the
world but he notes in them lack of the dell
cate touch, a certain blindness to the court at
rnosphere which lends distinction 10 the speech
and manners of other women"
Miss Thompson had a lot 10 say about the
hardness Of tone and manner that goes often
with authority and social position in this coun-
try" contrasting with it the gentleness which
accompanies authority in European countries
81 -77a ayrrb Irz-f he
gentleness, because there is really 10 need TO
insist"
Miss Thompson told several stories Of Amer
icans abroad. illustrating their bad manners
quite much their bad voices
The Italians have the finest manners IN the
world" she said. because they are so mindful
of the stranger And she told of an italian
policeman who, finding very rch ana very
drunk American lying in the gutter, took him
70 his home, searched till he found his calling
card and then took him 10 his own nome, gently
bidding him not 10 do il again Then there
were the Italian mother and daughter who gave
a reception to which they invited a few Amer
leans Among them We're two Americans beau
tifuy gowned The affair was given largely 10
put forth a young singer who hoped 10 get en-
gagements through il 10 sing for the nobility
She had sung just once. when the pretty Amer
lean girl in her stunning gown hoated to the
piano and began singing and playing snatches
of tunes nOnChalantly as If she had been in
her own driving room OF course. all the
italian men. who dearly love pretty thing.
sWarmed around her.
The hostess and her daughter met in the hall
Struggling their shoulders and lifting their eyes
10 heaven.
What 10 da2"
What can we do?"
Nothing"
The young American occupied the piano stool
all the rest of the evening. The Italian girl who
hoped 10 make herself known never got another
chance to sing.
why didn't they take her right off that
stool?" Indignantly inquired American 10
whom Miss Thompson told the anecdote.
Why. il would have been sufficient cause for
q duel have asked her TO get up the
reply
Miss Thompson would like to American
women adopt the pronunciation Of the English
upper classes, which is the standard But not
the English accent-"that would be affecta-
tiOn."