Show TAKE MY WORD FOR IT By Frank Colby Many of our pronouncing difficulties difficulties difficulties dif dif- dif dif- are due to dislocated accents as in the case of the Frenchman whom I heard re recently recently recently re- re on a network broadcast He used the word difficulty several several several sev sev- eral times pronouncing it di ul FIK As he becomes better better better bet bet- ter acquainted with ith English he will vill learn the hard truth that there are no reliable rules for either accenting or pronouncing words The word posthumous is widely widely wide wide- ly mispronounced post HEW muss a mistake in every way as serious as the Frenchmans Frenchman's FIK di There is this difference however muss is a book bool word that seldom seldom seldom sel sel- dom occurs in conversation Itis It Itis Itis is therefore far more likely to tobe tobe tobe be mispronounced than a familiar familiar familiar liar word like difficulty Posthumous Posthumous Posthumous Pos Pos- is accented on the first syllable which has the short o 0 sound as in possible thus POSS choo I once heard an official of a large midwestern city say ul ni for pal pat He also stated that the city would end its physical year with a large dee dee FISS FISS Of course incorrect pronunciations pronunciations pronunciations do not disqualify a man manfor manfor manfor for holding public office But they do put him in a very ery bad light Any city official should know that municipal is mew- mew NISS i that fiscal is FISS- FISS kl kI and that the word deficit is i DEFF Do you have difficulty in using words COULD CAN-COULD and MIGHT MAY-MIGHT If so Mr Colby's leaflet C 21 will help you For Fora a copy send in coin and a stamped self-addressed self envelope envelope enve enve- lope Jope to him care care of The Salt Lake Tribune-Telegram Tribune Home Service Bureau Salt Lake City 10 Utah Released by Bell Syndicate Inc |