Show rr r take my word i I 1 for it I 1 I 1 by FRANX FRANK COLBY 1 L i SURPRISE WORD overheard on a news broadcast twice within a few minutes the town was shaken by a trembler A trembler Is one who trembles there Is no such word describing an earthquake the correct word Is temblor it Is 19 from the spanish phrase temblor de tierra meaning earthquake the accent falls on the second syllable which rhymes with more pore say teni BLORE an earthquake la Is often referred to as a tremor from the latin word of the same spelling and meaning a quaking first choice tremor second choice TRUE TREE mer colby youre wrong san diego recently you made the nonsensical assertion that it Is quite allwright all right to pronounce rather with a flat a if you will consider the word father which always has the ah sound youl I 1 see how mistaken you are I 1 demand a re traction W T 11 answer Sl athers of such blather in my column make you lather I 1 gather altadena since you advise pro MUL gate instead of the correct british promulgate PROM ul gate your pronunciation ca atlon of propagate then must be ba propagate pro PA gate A P B R answer sorry this column establishes no pronunciations it reports correct american usage as reflected by the consensus of american dictionaries of seven american diction dictionaries arie s all list as first or only choice pro MUL gate two list promulgate PROM ul gate ns as british only one lists PROM ul gate as second american choice bell Syn syndicate dicato features rea tures |