Evening star., 1936-02-09

SAS AKtSA ture is mace evident
s@47N~32 - the nom ent we
speak Nothing so
instantly and 50 irrefutably reveals the social
quality of our background our advantages
and disadvantages - as the words we choose
and the way we pronounce them.
Appearance on the other hand often passes
muster For example, Miss Nobackground
and Miss Oldlineage standing side by side
are equally lovely to look at. equally graceful
and wearing equally perfect clothes. But the
moment they speak the difference in their
social background is made plain. Let Miss
Nobackground, for example, say: "Hully gee"
or call out to her friend: "Say, Murree, the
new drapes in my home are dandy" and
what is her background then?
On the other hand, Miss Oldlineage, in the
vernacular of today, may very well say: 1T
looks SWELL" answer: Fine" when asked
"How are your" and speak of hoy friend
or girl friend" and yet leave the impression
of her background intact. But the explana-
tioh of the reason why "drapes" and dandy"
are still outcast, whereas swell. hoy
friend" and fine" have become popular is
lust a caprice of taste which can not be ex-
planned further than that they are rather like
the dash of garlic or spice that can be endured
in very sparing amount when they scarcely
flavor the dish.
On the other hand. pretentiousness is
always tabu. Best people are real people, and
real people are simple people. The caricatwe
LADY" with the comic picture society man.
ner" who talks with strangled voice about
being acquainted with" and attending
social affairs" who curls her little finger over
the handle of her tea cup, and prates of "cul-
ture" pronounced cult-ure) does not belong
to what, for want of better term. is called
BEST Society,"" and never will.
The offense of pretentiousness is committed
oftener perhaps by women than by men, who
are usually natural and direct. A genuine,
sincere, kindly American man (or woman
can 60 anywhere and be welcomed by every
one provided, of course, that he be a man of
some natural talent, ability, wit or grace.
But one quality will be found to be possessed
by each of these welcomed outsiders - SIN
cerity and naturalness - that is evident even
in his choice of speech.
To be able to recognize simple. direct and
beautiful speech from that which is redundant
and pretentious. one need merely take the
trouble to determine whether long sounding
word or phrase might be said in shorter,
simpler Anglo Saxon form. Instead of saying:
II desire to purchase" person of taste
says: II should like to buy Instead of
asking: "Wll you accord me permission"
one simply says: MAY II" In other words,
best taste invariably chooses the shortest,
simplest words or phrases that can express
the meaning intended.
For those who would acquire sincere and
natural speech and pure pronunciation, it is
obviously necessary to develop an acute ear
for voice and pronunciation. Every one knows
what is meant by an ear for music, but very
rarely does any one emphasize the much
greater importance of an ear which accurately
hears spoken sounds.
The best illustration can think OF is to
compare the accuracy of hearing that have
in mind with the alertness of sight possessed
by such entomologists as William Hamilton
Gibson and Jean Henri Fabre. Just as they
have proved that not one pair of eyes IN
million beholds the romance and drama OF