Evening star., 1935-03-17
Pronunciation on Radio
Problem for Britons, Too
Announcers Must Be on Constant Guard
Net to Offend Masses
or Classes.

fur; Settle for Celtic, with Keltic for
Celtic when used in Wales; day-iss
for dais; decorus for decorous, accent
on the second syllable; etSettra for
ETC.. not and-settre, with accent on
second syllable; finiss for finis; f1aksid
for flaccid; foksle for forecastle;
forred for forehead; greessy when
meaning covered with grease; greeZy
when meaning slippery. literally or
metaphorically; nolledge for knowl-
edge; Swayve for suave; vacayt for va
cate, accent on second syllable.
Though urging uniformity in the
spoken language SO far as possible, at
least with respect to doubtful words,
the report carries an indirect plea for
tolerance toward radio announcers and
speakers-a plea that might as well
be applicable here in the United
States. with its multiplicity Of dialects
and vernacular-when it points out
the many alternatives in pronuncia-
and admits there is no single standard
and no one right way of speaking
English.
I'VE have a standard yard, stand
ard pound, standard sovereign and
a standard pint" it states The yard
does not vary from Aberdeen to Ply
mouth and the pound contains as
much in Mayfair as in Bethnal
Green. Unfortunately, speech Is not
capable of rigid measurement. and
there is no absolute standard of pro-
nunciation. Pronunciation varies from
district to district. from class to class,
from character to character. in pro-
portion to the local, social or personal
difference that separates them"
ENJOYING the biggest year Of
IL radio sales since the re-depres-
sion peak in 1929. American
radio dealers during 1894 sold 3,304,-
600 console. midget and cigar box"
models Of radio sets and 100000 au-
tomobile radios, according to a sur
vey by States compiled by the broad
casting networks. in collaboration with
the McGraw-Hill Publishing Co Of
New York. The amount spent by buy
ers of radio equipment. including pur-
chases of tubes and other accessories,
was 1891 900 900 during 1884.
In addition, the American radio in
dustry had a record export year dur
ing 1884. selling $4,000 receiving sets
and countless other accessories in for
eign markets for a gross of about s25,-
100000.
Receiving set sales during 1884 by
States were reported as follows. ex-
Guiding auto radios: Alabama. 25,450;
Arizona. $500: Arkansas, 18.500; Cali
fornia. l86,35o; Colorado. $4,000; Con-
necticut. 57,5G0; Delaware, $3.50; Dis
trict of Columbia, 2o.500; Florida, 4O.-
| $50; Georgia. 43900; Idaho, 1880;
Illinois, 210,100; Indiana, SO, 200; Iowa,
$4,000; Kansas. 3o,400; Kentucky. 40
$50; louisiana 1880; Maine. 25,450;
Maryland, $4,000: Massachusetts,, 1872
500: Michigan. 118,600; Minnesota,
64.40o; Mississippi. 1850: Missouri,
118,6o0; Montana. 10,25O; Nebraska.
33,7OO; Nevada, $500; New Hamp-
shire. 1880; New Jersey. 152300;
New Mexico, 1880; New York. 508,-
500; North Carolina, $1,000; North
Dakota. II 900; Ohio. 100000; Okla
homa. 1880; Oregon, $4,000: Penn
sylvania, 3o5,0o0; Rhode Island, So
400; South Carolina, 15.200; South
Dakota, 10000; Tennessee, $4,000;
Texas, 108.4O0; Utah, 15.200; Ver-
mont. 10,250; Virginia, 43,900; Wash
ington, $500; West Virginia, $4,000;
Wisconsin, 77,eoo; wyoming, $3.50.