Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-16
ENGLISH AS SHE IS PRONOUNCED
By Brander de Rennes

manner and have wav of
prenouncing words as they are spelled. |
thought that the English way until
spent a summer in England, and then l knew
better.
The English poke lot of fun at us for our
pronunciation; but wonder what they would
say if we cut up such gymnastics with the
language as they do. But whatever they might
saw they would be justified. What l have to
say about the English freaks of pronunciation
/ won't say here; l will merely give some OF the
examples discovered in single English sum-
mer and then let the gentle reader say the
things for me.
The worst of it was that l had never sus-
pected that such idiosyncrasies in pronuncla-
ton existed and fell into good many pit
falls before | got out of the country, and got
good many shocks from first to last.
got two bad ones at the start. had just
arrived in London in perfectly beautiful state
of American freshness and verdancy. Every
thing was wonderful to me- and was as happy
as the innocent oysters that walked with the
walrus and the carpenter of eternal fame; but,
like those same bivalves, had rude awaken
ing.
The First Jolt
HAD little business to do along with my
pleasure, and an American friend IN London
gave me letter to an English business man.
| say friend; but he was not at all a friend,
else he would have pronounced the English
mans name for me; but the truth OF the mat
ter was that ne wanted me TO get caught ne u
been caught himself. and he wanted to let
another squirm. The Englishman' S name was
Colclough. l pronounced 1T as 1t is spelled
when addressed Mr.. Colclough, and he blandly
said Pronounced Cokely, if you don't mind.
OF course didn't mind in the least; but was
awfully shocked.
Mr. 'Cokely'' was good sort in spite of his
name and he gave me several business cards,
but without pronounclng the names on them
l took them unsuspectingy, never dreaming
hot fhnrl rf11nr Ia
ton, and thinking "Cokely" only coinci-
dence. l found out soon after, however, that
it was habit and not coincidence.
One of the cards read Messrs. Harenc d
Harenc. pronounced it Harenc giving every
letter its due; but , was up against shock num-
Der two when the clerk Superc1llously pro-
nounced it Haron
was beginning to wake up then. l looked
at the other cards carefully and they seemed
very innocent One read Havhurst & Hough,
and the other Ralph & st. John. They were
dead easy; there could not be anything to
twist about in them; they had good American
appearance. No pitfalls there So sailed IN
on the first one, and when it came back to me
Hurst & Huff, it was worse shock than the
first got fresh and just low-down American
then, and said. Whats the matter with the
Hay?" and the fellow who attached an K to
all his AS said, 81 beg your pardon!" And
then l remembered that one must not expect
a sense of humor to appear IN England, and |
said blithely, "Oh nothing, nothing" and he
looked a little dazed and amazed, and of course
set me down as one more of those crazy Ameri-
was getting timid by this time; so when it
came to speaking Ralph & ST. John out loud l
trembed a little. OF course there was only one
possible way to pronounce the two names that
/ could think of; but still was not quite sure,
so shirked my duty and just merely asked if
and no Chin said Mr. "Rafe )" was out but Mr.
.Siniun was in So saw Mr. Sinun but