Evening star., 1911-05-28
THE KINGS ENGLISH
How His Loyal Subjects in the
Metropolis Speak It.
VAIN QUEST OF AMERICANS
Those Who Seek to Acquire Accent
Face Certain Failure.
OFTEN HARD TO UNDERSTAND
Theory That We Speak a Kindred
Tongue Doesn't Always Hold
in Practice.
VAIN QUEST OF AMERICANS
OFTEN HARD TO UNDERSTAND
ncial From STAFF Correspondent.

LONDON, May 20 1911.
An American starting for British
shores for the first time is quite likely
10 he fervently enjoined by anxious
friends not TO acquire an English accent.
Undoubtedly there is some genuine ap-
prehension, for sundry good Americans
have in times past returned home fearing
lngual evidences of sojourn among
the Albions.
Yet, after some close study of English
as she is spoke" by the natives of this
variedly interesting island. / am bound to
assert that whoever thus adopts the pc
culiar accent or infection of the British
does so from deliberate choice and dill
gent practice. 1t simply does not come
natural for an American TO talk like
an Englishman. and even when there
has been fairly successful imitation, it
will never pass a good counterfeit
among those who know the true speech
of the people.
Ii has taken centuries of race amalga-
nation to form what may be termed the
generic infection of the Briton. 1t be-
speaks the ancient Angle, the later Dane
the conquering Norman and the steadily
infowing Teuton. 1t has a certain
throaty quality. not precisely gutteral,
and decidedly not nasal This is the
basic principle of the common speech
distinguishing it from that of the western
cousin. But the difference goes beyond
this. though 1t is the lack of this pc
culiar quality that prevents even the
bilious American from acquiring the in
Sular style of enunciation. The true
English accent. apart from pronouncia-
tfon, involves wide range of speak
ing voice. Whereas the ordinary Amer
lean speech is almost wholly level with
few infections, the British speech is
veritably musical in its ups and downs
A single word often strikes three dis
tinct notes. The analytical listener is
inclined to seek for a tune, after time.
Words Slide Upward.
In this matter OF infection the Eng
lish speech has one striking character
istic. Ii is. perhaps. significant of a
racial tendency that more often than
otherwise the concluding slide is up
ward. rather than downward. This gives
singular llt to the talk, the peculiar
rising tone imparting a certain vivacity
to the speech. 1t certainly makes for
. greater cheerfulness Of expression than
a definitely downward droop of the
voice
When an Englishman is emphatic he
gives an extra range to his syllables,
covering considerable vocal space with
one word. In special moments of stress
the sound may fall. The women are
descriptive talk. The word dear" as
an adjective. is capable of wide range
or significance, starting high and ending
three or four full notes Of the musical
scale below, with faint little twist up
ward that defies alien imitation.
There is one word in the most common
use that involves this sliding tendency
When slight accident occurs. casual
bump in a shop" jostle in lift
or a collision in a tram or a mishap
in tube" the unintentional offender in
stantly makes acknowledgment with
Sorry" This word is the English
equivalent of Excuse me- or II beg
your pardon common in western par
lance, and the French pardon" 1t Is
almost invariably given with a lift of the
voice that somehow suggests that the
speaker is in fact not at all sorry but is
merely pronouncing a formula 1t seems
to come naturally to the lips of the
well bred Englishman as the traditional
thank you" does to those of the more
humble members of society. When YOU
are assured that some one who has
bumped your hat off or knocked parcel
out of your hand or has stepped on your
toe ts Very, very sorry or "Awfully
sorry.' or so sorry" you may know
that behind the words lies real contrition.
But that single word. uttered with its pc
culiar little upward turn, is a bit of
polite shamming. habit that bespeaks a
natural impulse to acknowledge a fault
and an indisposition to dwell on it for
more than an instant in passing.
Worthy of Study.
The thank you" Of English speech is
worth studying Every shop girl. every
waitress. every bus conductor, every one
in fact. who serves in any capacity. says
IL on every possible occasion. You hand
a sovereign to an attendant in a haber-
dashers and he thanks you. He thanks
you again when he hands out your par
eel. and again when he gives your
change. He may then call your attention
politely to some new line of goods, and
Will thank you pleasantly when you de-
cline to be interested. Finally, as you
turn to go. he will thank you once more.
as q last assurance of gratitude. The
waiter thanks you when you give your
order. again when you receive your food
and once more when you get your bill.
Nor is this a paving of the path to tips
for the thank yous' are as frequent in
the eating places where tipping Is pro-
hibited-yes. there are many such places
In London. strange as II may seem-as
in those where the servitors live i'm hopes
of sixpences and are pleased with
thripences.
No one can reasonably object TO the
curtailment of this national phrase In
practice. Take the case OF the bus con-
ductor, who IS by custom compelled to
thank several thousand people a day for
Welding up their pennies to him. A sim
pie uplifting "a answers every purpose
IL satisfies the English sense of polite
ress and saves the conductors breath
which is much needed for his perform
anees at the regular stopping stations as
announcer.
Polite to Passengers.
One would think that these men work ed