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Read Ebook: Every-Day Errors of Speech by Meredith L P
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EVERY-DAY ERRORS OF SPEECH
PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 1876.
INTRODUCTION
Smart, one of the most celebrated of English orthoepists, in the preface of his dictionary says: "The proprietors of Walker's dictionary, finding it would slide entirely out of use unless it were adapted to the present day, engaged me as a teacher of elocution, known in London since Walker's time, to make the necessary changes." A standard pronouncing dictionary is a work that involves an extraordinary amount of labor and research in its compilation, and exerts an influence almost autocratical. The possibility of its becoming worthless in a short time is strange, especially when it is not on account of any work claiming superiority, but merely because error long persisted in finally becomes more authoritative than the original exemplar. With little effort, however, we can discern the causes. Persons are apt to acquire the pronunciation and use of the greater number of words by imitation, rather than by study. With confidence in the knowledge of the parent, teacher, minister, physician and others, their examples are followed without ever considering that they are often very fallible guides.
I have taken advantage of the alphabetical arrangement to introduce a few miscellaneous errors that might have been placed under a separate heading.
Instead of dividing the words into syllables and loading them with marks as is usually done in dictionaries, I have thought that it would make a deeper impression on the memory to present the words as they are commonly seen in print, depending on respelling to furnish the correct and incorrect accent and pronunciation.
The corrections have first been made according to Webster; if Worcester is unmentioned, it is to be understood that both authorities agree.
Errors of Speech.
KEY TO THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE RESPELLING
Obscure vowel sounds, or those which are glided over in a word without any noticeable accent, are unmarked. In those cases where the pronunciation is so evident that mistakes seem improbable, the marks are also omitted.
EVERY-DAY ERRORS OF SPEECH.
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?"
SCRIPTURAL, MYTHOLOGICAL AND OTHER PROPER NAMES.
In the vocabulary just completed, it has been the design to point out the majority of errors occurring in the pronunciation of the words usually selected by people of fair or excellent education to carry on ordinary English discourse. In the portion of the work now under consideration, nothing like such thoroughness is contemplated.
After a moment's reflection, it will appear to any one, that to mention the thousands upon thousands of proper names, the erroneous pronunciation of which is rather to be expected than the correct, would require an elaborate volume. Every one who has striven to become a fine orthoepist has longed for the ability to comprehend the pronunciation of that myriad of names, any one of which is apt to confront him in any book or paper he may chance to pick up. But to become a proficient in this respect would require years of study and a knowledge of the principles of many foreign languages.
It is fortunate for the reputation of those who bear the name of being good scholars, that errors in the pronunciation of most proper names are excusable, which is not the case with the mistakes that have before been laid down. But there are some proper names, of such constant occurrence in daily lectures, reading and conversation, that errors connected with them are not to be overlooked. It is the intention here, simply to call attention to the more common of these, and to lead the reader to appreciate the fact that if one depends upon the usual power of the English letters to gain a correct pronunciation of proper names, he will be more often led astray than otherwise.
SCRIPTURAL NAMES.
GREEK AND LATIN PROPER NAMES--MYTHOLOGICAL, ETC.
MODERN BIOGRAPHICAL NAMES.
MODERN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES.
ENGLISH CHRISTIAN NAMES.
NAMES OF ROMANCE, SOBRIQUETS, ETC.
ORTHOEPICAL ERRORS OF THE PROFESSIONS.
Although errors of speech are at all times to be deprecated, and are generally criticised without much leniency, it must be admitted that unless they are very gross, reasonable excuses are to be taken for those who have never made their language a subject of close study, and whose only use of words is entirely impromptu in the business affairs of life, in the home circle, or in the social gathering.
Though a person's descent from Belgravia or Billingsgate is in a great measure revealed by the propriety of his discourse, yet this refers principally to those words that are employed by the masses in the every-day conversations of life, rather than to technicalities and words related to particular professions, the use of which is generally confined to the specially instructed. But when a man stands forth as an orator, a teacher, a minister, or a professor of some college, it is certainly not unreasonable for those that sit under his instruction, to expect and demand that his speech should be almost free from errors.
One occupying such a position may well be excused for occasional embarrassment, poor voice, unpleasant address, hesitation of delivery, and various failings and peculiarities that can not be overcome, but little or no allowance can be made for constantly repeated errors.
Probably there has never been a public speaker so perfect in diction, that he has not in moments of embarrassment, or when much absorbed in his subject, been guilty of grammatical inaccuracies or mistakes of pronunciation; and doubtless he is as often aware of them as his listeners are, as soon as they drop from his lips, but it would be foolish to call attention to them by going back to correct them. But when these offenses are so glaring and so frequently repeated that it is evident the speaker knows no better, it is no wonder that the educated hearer often thinks that the teacher had better leave his position and submit to being taught.
What allowance can an intelligent congregation make for their minister who has nothing else to do but prepare his sermons, if, besides a multitude of common English mistakes, he pronounces more than half of his scriptural names in a manner that is not sanctioned by any authority?
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