Wall. — Pronunciafiou of Scientific Terms in New Zealand. 413 



respect — some speakers treating them as scientific terms and pronouncing 

 them accordingly, others using them as " everyday " English. Thus genus 

 and species are pronounced as English — dzhlnos, spishls, not genus, spekies ; 

 chloride is English (-aid, not -id), while chlorine is indeterminate (both -in 

 and -ain). An excellent example is the geological term stratum, pronounced 

 by dift'erent speakers as stratum and streitum. If the pi. is strata, then the 

 a is a, not ei (c/. Lycopodium, and genitives and plurals in -i). Fuiuji should 

 be either fangai or fungi, Again, Bacillus should be bakilus, pi. bakili ; or 

 basilus, pi. basilusiz. 



As against these objections, we have in New Zealand a decided 

 advantage over the Old Country if any attem])t be made to establish 

 a Continental Latin or Greek pronunciation. We all are familiar with 

 the Maori names at least, and are accustomed to pronounce long a and i 

 in something like the true Latin manner ; we mispronounce the Maori 

 shockingly, no doubt, especially in the stressing of the syllables, but we 

 have not to travel quite so far as a home-bred Englishman if we wish to 

 adopt a reasonable system. This alone, however, ca.n hardly be thought 

 to counterbalance all the difficulties already mentioned. 



Supposing that, for the reasons above mentioned, or for others, it be 

 found impossible to establish any reformed Latin system, tlie question arises, 

 What is the alternative ? 



There are two alternatives. One is to pronounce all the Latin and 

 Greek terms as English, in respect of both the value of the vowels and the 

 ])osition of the stressed syllables. The other is a compromise. 

 Consider the two alternatives briefly. 



(L) The average New Zealand student has learned Latin at school 

 and is familiar with that pronunciation which passes for " modern " and 

 with that only. If an '' English " scheme of pronunciation be adopted 

 lie must unlearn his Latin pronunciation, just as the average Englishman 

 must unlearn his " English " Latin if he is to be understood here. This 

 would seem fatal to any such system. It is certain that a homogeneous 

 and possibly defensible "■ English "" system could be used here, however, 

 as it is in England. There would be variations, inconsistencies of the 

 minor kind, and individual solecisms, no doubt, as there are in England ; 

 but such things will always be, whatever system be nominally " adopted." 

 And no doubt it would be a good thing if the farmer and the gardener could 

 be allowed to pronounce the Latin terms as they see them, supposing that 

 they know little or no Latin, and yet be in line with the university-bred 

 student or teacher of the subject ; they could then say " ostreilis " as 

 they say "■ ostreilie," and not be troubled by hearing others say " australis." 

 Yet no scientific man could, 1 think, bring himself to recommend the 

 adoption of the "English" or ''insular'" mode. Th^ case of the student 

 who has learned the " new " mode at school would alone block it ; no 

 such scheme could be scientifically defended; and this alternative is here 

 dismissed. 



(2.) With regard to the other alternative : At first sight it would seem 

 that compromise is the only way, and it may prove that in s]iite of the best 

 endeavours of scientific men compromise will eventually win. The [)resent 

 chaotic " no system " may be gradually regularized and organized as 

 botanical students and teachers increase in numbers and as those from 

 different centres meet oftener and discuss their subject. And so also with 

 the terminology of science in general : the present comparative isolation 

 of the teachers and students in separate areas tends to encourage the 

 development of variations and local idiosyncrasies; but all that will ])a.ss. 



