Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
GRACE HYDE
Behind the Microphone
BY THE RADIO EDITOR.
N Interesting Controversy Is

A N interesting controversy is
~ going on in educational
~ and philological circles over
a the pronunciation of the
word Obesity" just because a ra-
dio announcer saw fit the other
day to pronounce 1t with a short
&C." And, as strange as it may
seem, the authorities cannot agree
on the proper pronunciation.
Edward ThorgerSen, former
WRC announcer, who is now on
the National Broadcasting Co. s
network, started the dispute when
he, pronounced obesity with the
short "e," as in edible. The an
nouncer was called to task by
other members of the staff, and
when he defended his pronuncia-
ton the program department un-
dertook a survey by querying
prominent educators and philo-
logiStS.
Among those responding were
DR.. Walter Lowrie Hervey, editor
of Horace Mann readers; DR.. Al
len w. Porterfield, professor in
West Virginia University; Prof. j.
w. Cunliffe, Columbia University;
DR.. Ruth LoomiS, former dean of
women, Colorado College; Prof.
Howard r. briggs, New York Uni
versity; Prof. Alexander Marx,
Jewish Theological Seminary;
Prof. Hughes Mearns, New York
University; DR.. Frank H. Vizetelly
of Funk & Wagnalls Co., editor of
the New Standard Dictionary OF
the English Language; Prof. SAM
uel McCune Lindsay, Columbia
University, and c.. w. e. Miller of
the American Journal of Philol-
ogy of the Johns Hopkins Press.
And here are their replies:
DR.. Hervey: "TilI today said
Obesity My wife says 'obess-
! ity.' She is right"
DR.. Porterfeld: Contrary to ir-
rational lexicons, only one correct
pronunciation of 'obesity-four
Syllables; pronounce % long
as in toe; 'bes' long, to rhyme
with peace; 'ity' short, to rhyme
with pity; one single, strong &C.
cent on long 'bes.' Note word has
| OIlly OLlC .. 11ctu ~ tWOy oCCOl1O
syllable would rhyme with less.
Compare necessity More impor-
tant than pronunciation, however
is not to be so dumb as to suffer
from ailment. It is primarily q
| Republican affection; average
weight of Democratic voters, less
than 100, or Republicans, more
than no."
Prof. Cunliffe: Obesity long
o. long e. accent on e.
DR.. Loomis: "'E' short in 'obes-
lity.' See Stormonth and Century
Dictionaries"
Prof. briggs: 1.-THE word 'obes-
/ ty' should be pronounced, inter
mediate o. as In obey; short e,
as in dress Both i, and "
should be given Il In it. Accent
word on second syllable best. This
pronunciation is authorized by
high authority and seems most
euphonious."
Prof. Marx: "'Obesity' ought tt
be pronounced according to ety.
Imology, 'obee,' but generally 1t Il
pronounced as in lesson
| PrOI. MedTIlS. no OLlS knOWS
how a word should be pronounced
because no scientific count of fire.
luuences has been made. Die
| tionaries, necessarily behind the
times, copy their predecessors
and give obesity For most per.
sons the law of leveling has prob.
| ably made it obesity Wore
rarely heard in spoken language
and therefore not worth makins
| a fight over. Schoolmasters foi
Is years fought for 'Squalor' witt
the long "a because the diction.
aries said so. # ever obesity
really gets into the common
speech, It will probably resist tn,
dictionaries as did automobile
If you pronounce it obesity yol
will be in conformity with die
tionaries, but without explana
tory context you will not be UNI
derstood by radio audience. VIII,
use word at all? Why not sa!
unhealthy fatness?'"
DR.. Lindsay: "tO-bes-i-ty'; thl