particularly in New England, is the pronouncing of _e_ before _r_,
like _a_; as _marcy_ for mercy. This mistake must have originated
principally in the name of the letter _r_, which, in most of our
school books, is called _ar_. This single mistake has spread a false
pronunciation of several hundred words, among millions of people.[49]
To avoid this disagreeable singularity some fine speakers have run into
another extreme, by pronouncing _e_ before _r_, like _u_, _murcy_.
This is an error. The true sound of the short _e_, as in _let_, is the
correct and elegant pronunciation of this letter in all words of this
class.
There is a vulgar singularity in the pronunciation of the eastern
people, which is very incorrect, and disagreeable to strangers; that
of prefixing the sound of _i_ short or _e_, before the dipthong _ow_;
as _kiow_, _piower_ or _peower_. This fault usually occurs after _p_,
_c_ hard, or those other consonants which are formed near the seat of
_ee_ in the mouth, or in passing from which to the succeeding vowel,
the organs naturally take the position necessary to pronounce _ee_.
But the most awkward countryman pronounces _round_, _ground_, &c. with
tolerable propriety.
This, with some other peculiarities which prevail among the yeomanry of
New England, springs from causes that do not exist, in the same degree,
in any other part of America, perhaps not in the world. It may surprize
those who have not turned their thoughts to this subject, that I should
ascribe the manner of speaking among a people, to the nature of their
government and a distribution of their property. Yet it is an undoubted
fact that the drawling nasal manner of speaking in New England arises
almost solely from these causes.
People of large fortunes, who pride themselves on family distinctions,
possess a certain boldness, dignity and independence in their manners,
which give a correspondent air to their mode of speaking. Those who are
accustomed to command slaves, form a habit of expressing themselves
with the tone of authority and decision.
In New England, where there are few slaves and servants, and less
family distinctions than in any other part of America, the people are
accustomed to address each other with that diffidence, or attention
to the opinion of others, which marks a state of equality. Instead of
commanding, they advise; instead of saying, with an air of decision,
_you must_; they ask with an air of doubtfulness, _is it not best?_
or give their opinions with an indecisive tone; _you had better, I
believe_. Not possessing that pride and consciousness of superiority
which attend birth and fortune, their intercourse with each other is
all conducted on the idea of equality, which gives a singular tone to
their language and complexion to their manners.
These remarks do not apply to the commercial towns; for people who are
conversant with a variety of company lose most of their singularities,
and hence well bred people resemble each other in all countries. But
the peculiar traits of national character are found in the internal
parts of a country, among that class of people who do not travel,
nor are tempted by an intercourse with foreigners, to quit their own
habits.[50]
Such are the causes of the local peculiarities in pronunciation,
which prevail among the country people in New England, and which, to
foreigners, are the objects of ridicule. The great error in their
manner of speaking proceeds immediately from not opening the mouth
sufficiently. Hence words are drawled out in a careless lazy manner, or
the sound finds a passage thro the nose.
Nothing can be so disagreeable as that drawling, whining cant that
distinguishes a certain class of people; and too much pains cannot be
taken to reform the practice.
Great efforts should be made by teachers of schools, to make their
pupils open the teeth, and give a full clear sound to every syllable.
The beauty of speaking consists in giving each letter and syllable its
due proportion of sound, with a prompt articulation.
Thus in order to pronounce _cow_, _power_, or _gown_ with propriety,
the pupil should be taught, after placing the organs in the position
required by the first consonant, to open his mouth wide, before he
begins the sound of _ow_: Otherwise in passing from that position to
the aperture necessary to pronounce _ow_, he will inevitably articulate
_ee_, _keow_.
A similar method is recommended to those polite speakers who are
so fond of imitating the English stage pronunciation as to embrace
every singularity, however disagreeable. I refer to the very modern
pronunciation of _kind_, _sky_, _guide_, &c. in which we hear the short
_e_ before _i_, _keind_, or _kyind_, _skey_, &c. This is the same
barbarous dialect, as the _keow_ and _veow_ of the eastern country
people. Yet, strange as it may seem, it is the elegant pronunciation
of the fashionable people both in England and America. Even Sheridan,
who has laid it down as a rule that _i_ is a dipthong, composed of _aw_
and _ee_, has prefixed a _y_ short to its sound in several words; as
_kyind_, _skyi_, _gyide_, &c. We may with equal propriety prefix _e_ to
the dipthong _ow_, or to _o_ in _poll_, or to _oo_ in _fool_, or to any
other vowel. It is presumed that the bare mention of such barbarisms
will be sufficient to restrain their progress, both in New England and
on the British theater.
Some of the southern people, particularly in Virginia, almost omit the
sound of _r_ as in _ware_, _there_. In the best English pronunciation,
the sound of _r_ is much softer than in some of the neighboring
languages, particularly the Irish and Spanish; and probably much softer
than in the ancient Greek. But there seems to be no good reason for
omitting the sound altogether; nor can the omission be defended on the
ground, either of good practice or of rules. It seems to be a habit
contracted by carelessness.
It is a custom very prevalent in the middle states, even among some
well bred people, to pronounce _off_, _soft_, _drop_, _crop_, with
the sound of _a_, _aff_, _saft_, _drap_, _crap_. This seems to be a
foreign and local dialect; and cannot be advocated by any person who
understands correct English. [L]
In the middle states also, many people pronounce a _t_ at the end of
_once_ and _twice_, _oncet_ and _twicet_. This gross impropriety would
not be mentioned, but for its prevalence among a class of very well
educated people; particularly in Philadelphia and Baltimore.
_Fotch_ for _fetch_ is very common, in several states, but not among
the better classes of people. _Cotched_ for _caught_ is more frequent,
and equally barbarous.
_Skroud_ and _skrouge_ for _croud_, are sometimes heard among people
that should be ashamed of the least vulgarism.
_Mought_ for _might_ is heard in most of the states, but not frequently
except in a few towns.[M]
_Holpe_ for _help_ I have rarely heard except in Virginia. _Tote_
is local in Virginia and its neighborhood. In meaning it is nearly
equivalent to _carry_. I have taken great pains to discover the
etymology of the local terms used in the several states; but this word
has yet eluded my diligence.[51]
_Chore_, a corruption of _char_, is an English word, still used in many
parts of England, as a _char-man_, a _char-woman_, but in America, it
is perhaps confined to New England. It signifies small domestic jobs of
work, and its place cannot be supplied by any other single word in the
language.
These local words, and others of less note, are gradually growing into
disuse, and will probably be lost: Except such as are necessary in some
particular occupation.
The pronunciation of _w_ for _v_ is a prevailing practice in
England and America: It is particularly prevalent in Boston and
Philadelphia.[52] Many people say _weal_, _wessel_, for _veal_,
_vessel_.
These letters are easily mistaken for each other, and the name of
the letter _w_ now used, is a proof that the letter _v_ was formerly
called _u_ or _oo_. The letter in the Roman language had the sound we
now give _w_ in _will_. _Via_ and _vinum_, pronounced _wia_, _winum_,
have suffered but a small change of pronunciation in our _way_, _wine_.
In old English books, down to Shakespear, _v_ was written for the
short _u_, as _vp_, _vnder_; for _up_, _under_. On the other hand, _u_
was written where we now write _v_, as _uery_, _euery_, for _very_,
_every_. It seems therefore, that _v_ had formerly the sound of _w_
or _oo_; and that instead of corrupting the language, the Cockneys
in London, and their imitators in America, who say _weal_, _wery_,
have retained the primitive pronunciation. In confirmation of this
opinion, it may be observed that the Danes, who speak a dialect of the
Saxon, have no _w_ in their language, but where we write _w_, they
write _v_, and where we write _wh_, they invariably write _hv_; as
_vind_, _wind_; _vej_, _way_; _vader_, _wade_; _hvad_, _what_; _hvide_,
_white_; _hvi_, _why_. The Germans, whose language is another branch of
the same stock, invariably pronounce _w_ as we do _v_; _wall_, _vall_;
_wir_, _vir_, _we_; _wollen_, _vollen_, _will_; and _v_ they pronounce
as we do _f_; as _vergessen_, _fergessen_, which is the same as the
English _forget_.
The retaining the old sound of _v_ is a proof of the force of custom;
but since the nation in general have annexed to it a precise sound, as
well as to _w_, every person should resign his peculiarities for the
sake of uniformity.
But there are some points in pronunciation, in which the best informed
people differ, both in opinion and practice.
The words _shall_, _quality_, _quantity_, _qualify_, _quandary_,
_quadrant_, are differently pronounced by good speakers. Some give _a_
a broad sound, as _shol_, _quolity_; and others, its second sound,
as in _hat_. With respect to the four first, almost all the standard
writers[53] agree to pronounce _a_ short, as in _hat_: And this is the
stage pronunciation. It is correct, for it is more agreeable to the
analogy of the language; that being the proper sound of the English
_a_ which is heard in _hat_ or _bar_. With respect to the two last,
authors differ; some give the first, some the second, and others the
fifth sound. They all pretend to give us the court pronunciation, and
as they differ so widely, we must suppose that eminent speakers differ
in practice. In such a case, we can hardly hesitate a moment to call
in analogy to decide the question, and give _a_ in all these words, as
also in _quash_, its second sound.[54]
The words _either_, _neither_, _deceit_, _conceit_, _receipt_, are
generally pronounced, by the eastern people, _ither_, _nither_,
_desate_, _consate_, _resate_. These are errors; all the standard
authors agree to give _ei_, in these words, the sound of _ee_. This
is the practice in England, in the middle and southern states, and,
what is higher authority, analogy warrants the practice. Indeed it
is very absurd to pronounce the verb _conceive_, _conceeve_, and the
noun _conceit_, _consate_. Such an inconsistency will hardly find
advocates, except among the prejudiced and uninformed.
_Importance_ is, by a few people, pronounced imp[1o]rtance; with the
first sound of _o_. The reason alleged is, that it is a derivative
of _import_, and _o_ should preserve the same sound it has in the
original. It seems however to be affectation, for the standard writers
and general practice are opposed to it. Indeed it may be considered as
a mere imitation of the French pronunciation of the same word.
_Decis-ive_ for _deci-sive_ is mere affectation.
_Reesin_ for _raisin_ is very prevalent in two or three principal towns
in America. One of the standard authors gives us this pronunciation;
and another gives us both _raisin_ and _reesin_. But all the others
pronounce the word _raisin_, with _a_ long; and derivation, analogy and
general custom, all decide in favor of the practice.
_Leisure_ is sometimes pronounced _leesure_, and sometimes _lezhure_:
The latter is the most general pronunciation in America. It is almost
singular in its spelling; _seizure_ being the only word in analogy
with it; and this is a derivative from _seize_. The true original
orthography of _leisure_ was _leasure_; this was in analogy with
_pleasure_, _measure_, and its ancient pronunciation still remains.
_Dictionary_ has been usually pronounced _dicsonary_; But its
derivation from _diction_, the analogous pronunciation of _tion_ in
other cases, and all the standard writers require _dicshunary_, or
_dicshonary_.
One author of eminence pronounces _defile_ in three syllables,
_def-i-le_. In this he is singular; neither general practice, nor rules
warrant the pronunciation; and all the other authorities are against
him.
With respect to _oblige_, authorities differ. The standard writers
give us both _oblige_ and _obleege_, and it is impossible to determine
on which side the weight of authority lies. The direct derivation of
the word from the French would incline us to prefer _obleege_, in
the analogy of _fatigue_, _machine_, _antique_, _pique_, _marine_,
_oblique_, which uniformly preserve the French _i_ or English _ee_.
Yet Chesterfield called this affectation, and it might be so in his
age; for the opinions of men are capricious. The English analogy
requires _i_ long in _oblige_; and perhaps this should incline all
parties to meet each other on that best principle.
Some people very erroneously pronounce _chaise_, _sha_ in the singular,
and _shaze_ in the plural. The singular number is _shaze_, and the
plural, _shazes_.
Our modern fashionable speakers accent _European_ on the last syllable
but one. This innovation has happened within a few years: I say
innovation; for it is a violation of an established principle of the
language, that words ending in _ean_ have the accent on the last
syllable but two: Witness _Mediterra'nean_, _Pyre'nean_, _Hercu'lean_,
_subterra'nean_. I do not advert to an exception,[55] and why
_European_ should be made one, it is difficult to determine. The reason
given by some, that _e_ in the penultima represents the Latin dipthong
_æ_, which was long, is of little weight, opposed to the general
practice of a nation, and to an established principle. The standard
authors, in this instance, as in all others, where practice is not
uniform, very absurdly give both pronunciations, that we may take our
choice. As this is a very easy method of getting over difficulties,
and passing along without giving offence, so it is a certain way to
perpetuate differences in opinion and practice, and to prevent the
establishment of any standard. Analogy requires _Euro'pean_, and this
is supported by as good authorities as the other.
_Rome_ is very frequently pronounced _Room_, and that by people of
every class. The authors I have consulted give no light upon this word,
except Perry, who directs to that pronunciation. The practice however,
is by no means general in America: There are many good speakers who
give _o_ its first sound. It seems very absurd to give _o_ its first
sound in _Romish_, _Romans_, and pronounce it _oo_ in _Rome_, the
radical word. I know of no language in Europe, in which _o_ has not one
uniform sound, viz. the sound we give it in _rose_. It is perhaps the
only vowel, in the sound of which all nations agree. In English it has
other sounds; but the first is its proper one. A great proportion of
people in America have restored the analogy of pronunciation in giving
_o_ its first found in _Rome_; and a desire of uniformity would lead us
to extend the practice.[56]
In the pronunciation of _arch_ in many compound words, people are
not uniform. The disputed words are _archangel_, _archetype_,
_architecture_, _architrave_, _archives_. There seems to be no settled
principle of analogy, by which the question can be determined.
Etymology would require _ch_, in Greek and Hebrew derivatives, to
have uniformly the sound of _k_; but before most consonants, such a
pronunciation is harsh; for which reason it is generally softened into
the English _ch_, as _archbishop_. But before vowels, as in the words
just enumerated, the best practice has decided for the sound of _k_;
and euphony, as well as derivation, favors the decision.[N]
The sound of _ch_ in _chart_ is likewise disputed; and the standard
authors are directly opposed to each other. There is as good foreign
authority on one side as the other; but in America, _ch_ has generally
its soft or English sound. This must perhaps be preferred, contrary to
etymology; for we uniformly give _ch_ that sound in _charter_, which
is from the same original; and this also distinguishes the word from
_cart_; a reason which is not without its weight.
There are many people who omit the aspirate in most words which begin
with _wh_; as _white_, _whip_, &c. which they pronounce _wite_, _wip_.
To such it is necessary only to observe, that in the pure English
pronunciation, both in Great Britain and New England, for it is exactly
the same in both, _h_ is not silent in a single word beginning with
_wh_. In this point our standard authors differ; two of them aspirating
the whole of these words, and three, marking _h_ in most of them as
mute. But the omission of _h_ seems to be a foreign corruption; for in
America, it is not known among the unmixed descendants of the English.
Sheridan has here given the true English pronunciation. In this class
of words, _w_ is silent in four only, with their derivatives; viz.
_who_, _whole_, _whoop_, _whore_.
One or two authors affect to pronounce _human_, and about twenty other
words beginning with _h_, as tho they were spelt _yuman_.[57] This is
a gross error. The only word that begins with this sound, is _humor_,
with its derivatives. In the American pronunciation, _h_ is silent in
the following, _honest_, _honor_, _hour_, _humor_, _herb_, _heir_, with
their derivatives. To these the English add _hospital_, _hostler_,
_humble_; but an imitation of these, which some industriously affect,
cannot be recommended, as every omission of the aspirate serves to
mutilate and weaken the language.
The word _yelk_ is sometimes written _yolk_ and pronounced _yoke_. But
_yelk_ is the most correct orthography, from the Saxon _gealkwe_; and
in this country, it is the general pronunciation.
_Ewe_ is, by the English, often pronounced _yo_; which is sometimes
heard in America. But analogy and the general corresponding practice in
this country, with the authority of some of the most accurate writers,
decide for _yew_.
The English speakers of eminence have shortened the vowel in the
first syllable of _tyranny_, _zealous_, _sacrifice_, &c. altho in the
primitive words, all agree to give the vowel its first sound. This
pronunciation has not spread among the people of this country; but our
learned men have adopted it; and it seems in some degree to be the
genius of our language. In _child_, _clean_, _holy_, &c. we uniformly
give the first vowel its long sound; but when a syllable is added, we
always shorten it; _children_, _clenly_, _holyday_.
On the other hand, many people in America say _pat-ron_, _mat-ron_;
whereas the English say either _pa-tron_ or _pat-ron_, _ma__tron_
or _mat-ron_; but all agree in saying, _pat-ronage_. In _patriot_,
_patriotism_, the English give _a_ its long sound; but a great part of
the Americans, its short sound. In all these cases, where people are
not uniform, I should prefer the short sound; for it appears to me the
most analogous.
_Wrath_, the English pronounce with the third sound of _a_ or _aw_; but
the Americans almost universally preserve the analogous sound, as in
_bath_, _path_. This is the correct pronunciation; and why should we
reject it for _wroth_, which is a corruption? If the English practice
is erroneous, let it remain so; we have no concern with it: By adhering
to our own practice, we preserve a superiority over the English, in
those instances, in which ours is guided by rules; and so far ought
we to be from conforming to their practice, that they ought rather to
conform to ours.
It is disputed whether _g_ should have its hard or soft sound, in
_homogeneous_ and _heterogeneous_: On this question the standard
authors are not agreed. The hard sound, as in _go_, coincides with
etymology; but analogy requires the other, as in _genius_. The same
remarks apply to _g_ in _phlogiston_.
In the middle and southern states, _fierce_, _pierce_, _tierce_, are
pronounced _feerce_, _peerce_, _teerce_. To convince the people of the
impropriety of this pronunciation, it might be sufficient to inform
them, that it is not fashionable on the English theater. For those who
want better proofs, before they relinquish their practice, I would
observe, that these words are derived to us from the French; _fierce_,
_tierce_, from _fiers_, _tiers_, and _pierce_ from _percer_. In the two
former, the French pronounce both _i_ and _e_; but it is evident the
English originally pronounced _e_ only; for the _i_ was omitted in the
spelling of _fierce_, and was not introduced into _pierce_ till after
Spenser wrote.
"--When he him knew and had his tale herd,
As _fers_ as a leon pulled out his swerd."
Chaucer, Knightes Tale 1600.
"The drought of March hath _perced_ to the rote."
Canterbury Tales.
"For they this queen attended; in whose steed,
Oblivion laid him down on Laura's herse:
Hereat the hardest stones were seen to bleed,
And grones of buried ghosts the heavens did perse."
Verses to Edmond Spenser.
_Pierce_ is also made to rhime with _rehearse_. Pope makes it rhime
with _universe_.
"He, who thro vast immensity can pierce,
See worlds on worlds compose one universe."
Essay on Man, 23.
The rhime in the last quotation, is not unequivocal proof of the
pronunciation in Pope's time; but the orthography in Chaucer's and
Spenser's writings, are to me satisfactory evidence that _e_ in these
words was short. The standard English pronunciation now is _ferce_,
_perce_, _terce_, and it is universal in New England. I have only to
add, that the sharp abrupt sound of _e_ in the two first words is most
happily adapted to express the ideas.
The English pronounce _leap_, _lep_; and that in the present tense
as well as the past. Some of our American horsemen have learnt the
practice; but among other people, it is almost unknown. It is a breach
of analogy, at least in the present tense; the American pronunciation,
_leep_, is therefore the most correct and should not be relinquished.
In the fashionable world, _heard_ is pronounced _herd_ or _hurd_.
This was almost unknown in America till the commencement of the late
war, and how long it has been the practice in England, I cannot
determine. By Chaucer's orthography, one would imagine that it had been
handed down from remote antiquity; for he writes _herd_, _herde_, and
_herden_.[58] In reading more modern poets, I have rarely found any
instance of a verse's closing with this word; so that it is difficult
to say what has been the general practice among the learned. But for
centuries, the word has been uniformly spelt _heard_; the verb _hear_
is in analogy with _fear_, _sear_, and yet _e_ in the past time and
participle has been omitted, as _heard_, not _heared_. That _herd_ was
not formerly the pronunciation, is probable from this circumstance;
the Americans were strangers to it when they came from England, and
the body of the people are so to this day.[59] To most people in this
country, the English pronunciation appears like affectation, and is
adopted only in the capital towns, which are always the most ready to
distinguish themselves by an implicit imitation of foreign customs.
Analogy requires that we should retain our former practice; for we may
as well change _feared_, _seared_, into _ferd_, _serd_, as to change
_heard_ into _herd_.
_Beard_ is sometimes, but erroneously, pronounced _beerd_. General
practice, both in England and America, requires that _e_ should be
pronounced as in _were_, and I know of no rule opposed to the practice.