^68 J'KONUNCIATJON OF ENGLISH. 



common in the Lowlands of Scotland, that common in Sheffield 

 or Bristol, that spoken by so-called Bi-lingual Colonists — these 

 local or provincial pronunciation-types are not similar to one 

 another or to the Standard. A Standard Pronunciation, com- 

 prising the question of intonation, accent or stress, liaison, speed 

 of utterance, quality of voice, etc., in addition to the question of 

 the individual word, does really exist, though it may be hard to 

 define. It is a pronunciation in which more especially " all 

 mark.s of particular place of birth and residence are lost and 

 notliing appears to indicate any other habits of intercourse than 

 with the well-bred and well-informed, wherever they may be; 

 found," or, as Chesterfield put it. a pronunciation " according to 

 the usage of the best companies."' 



It is true that as regards the individual word pronunciation 

 is always tending towards change, for language in general is ever 

 changing. As Johnson said, " no dictionary of a living tongue 

 ever can be perfect, since while it is hastening to publication, 

 some words are budding, and some are falling away." But for 

 pronunciation in the wide sense there is a Standard, and no 

 teacher ought to be let loose in our Colonies with a raw 

 Aberdonian or a blatant Yorkshire or a vile Cockney accent. 



Laughter is also closely connected with Language, and a 

 provincial laugh is often odious. A student can often identify 

 a Cornishman or a Colonial by the quality of the laugh. There 

 may be no absolute Standard for a correct English laugh, but 

 refined speech and refined laughter should, if 1 may be allowed 

 the expression, go hand in hand. 



In this connection, perhaps, I may be excused for calling 

 attention to the fact that even groaning and moaning have their 

 peculiar characteristics. This may be illustrated from the Native 

 Polo-player in Kipling's The Man Who JVas. 



" Colonel Sahib." said he, " that man is no Afghan, for they 

 weep Ai, ai. Xor is he of Hindustan, for they weep Oh, ho. 

 He weeps after the fashion of the white men, who say Ozv, ohk 



It is very sad to observe how little attention is paid at Oxford 

 and Cambridge to the correct pronunciation of Latin and (ireek. 

 The same slovenlv. unscientific, insular pronunciation is in vogue 

 to-day as existed before an approximately correct pronunciation 

 had been determined by philological research. I mention this 

 because it is typical of the English attitude to literary studies, 

 and it seems to me that there is rrx^m for the ajiplication of 

 scientific method even in literary and linguistic work. 



One difficulty in connection with the teaching of Standard 

 English is that each teacher thinks that he himself speaks that 

 Standard English, and would feel nisulted if he were criticised.^ 

 Such ideas are common not only among teachers, but also 'among 

 the clergy, the military and the various professions, and even 

 lower down in the social scale such semi-conscious conceit is not 

 unknown. 



