The Orthoëpist
A PRONOUNCING MANUAL,
Containing about Three Thousand Five Hundred
Words, including a Considerable Number of
the Names of Foreign Authors, Artists, etc.,
that are often mispronounced.
By Alfred Ayres
Selections From the Work
ạb-dō´mẹn, not ăb´dọ-mĕn.
ạc-crṳe´, not -crū´.
The orthoëpists agree that u, preceded by r in the same syllable, generally becomes simply oo, as in rude, rumor, rural, rule, ruby.
ạl-lŏp´ạ-thy; ạl-lŏp´ạ-thĭst.
Ăr´ạ-bĭc, not Ạ-rā´bĭc.
Asia—ā´shẹ-ȧ, not ā´zhȧ.
ay, or aye (meaning yes)—ī.
aye (meaning always)—ā.
Bĭs´märck, not bĭz´-.
At the end of a syllable, s, in German, has invariably its sharp, hissing sound.
Cairo—in Egypt, kī´rō; in the United States, kā´rō.
Courbet—ko̤r´bā´.
dĕc´ạde, not dẹ-kād´.
dẹ-cō´roŭs.
The authority is small, and is becoming less, for saying dĕc´o-roŭs, which is really as incorrect as it would be to say sŏn´o-roŭs.
dĕf´ị-cĭt, not dẹ-fĭç´it.
dịs̱-dāin´, not dis-.
dịs̱-hŏn´or, not dis-.
ĕc-ọ-nŏm´ị-cạl, or ē-cọ-nŏm´ị-cạl.
The first is the marking of a large majority of the orthoëpists.
ẹ-nēr´vāte.
The only authority for saying ĕn´er-vāte is popular usage; all the orthoëpists say e-nẽr´vāte.
ĕp´ọc̵h, not ē´pŏc̵h.
The latter is a Websterian pronunciation, which is not even permitted in the late editions.
fĭn-ạn-ciēr´.
This much-used word is rarely pronounced correctly.
Heī´nẹ, not hine.
Final e in German is never silent.
honest—ŏn´est, not -ĭst, nor -ŭst.
“Honest, honest Iago,” is preferable to “honust, honust Iago,” some of our accidental Othellos to the contrary notwithstanding.
ĭs̱´ọ-lāte, or ĭs´ọ-late, not ī´sọ-lāt.
The first marking is Walker’s, Worcester’s, and Smart’s; the second, Webster’s.
New York: D. APPLETON & CO., 1, 3, & 5 Bond Street.