{"id":3857,"date":"2011-12-08T11:13:39","date_gmt":"2011-12-08T11:13:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/?p=3857"},"modified":"2011-12-09T10:46:51","modified_gmt":"2011-12-09T10:46:51","slug":"its-all-in-the-vowels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/?p=3857","title":{"rendered":"It’s All in the Vowels"},"content":{"rendered":"

T’s friend Lissa took Voice & Diction at a Colorado College in the early nineties, and remembers having to recite bits of this poem as part of an oral exam. Read it aloud – and it seems reasonably easy at first. And then you remember: (Edited to add:<\/b> – this is according to Lissa’s long-ago professor -), the English pronounce Pall Mall “pell mell,” for some reason, and viscount<\/i> has a long I<\/i> sound… and it all gets worse from there. Shudder:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude2f <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

The Chaos<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Dearest creature<\/i> in creation<\/i>
\nStudying English pronunciation<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>I will teach you in my verse<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Sounds like corpse<\/i>, corps<\/i>, horse<\/i> and worse<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I will keep you, Susy<\/i>, busy<\/i>,
\nMake your head<\/i> with heat<\/i> grow dizzy;
\n   <\/tt>Tear<\/i> in eye, your dress you’ll tear<\/i>;<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Queer<\/i>, fair seer<\/i>, hear<\/i> my prayer<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pray<\/i>, console your loving poet<\/i>,
\nMake my coat look new<\/i>, dear, sew<\/i> it<\/i>!<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Just compare heart<\/i>, hear<\/i> and heard<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Dies<\/i> and diet<\/i>, lord<\/i> and word<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sword<\/i> and sward<\/i>, retain<\/i> and Britain<\/i>
\n(Mind the latter how it’s written<\/i>).
\n   <\/tt>Made<\/i> has not the sound of bade<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Say<\/i>–said<\/i>, pay<\/i>–paid<\/i>, laid<\/i> but plaid<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Now I surely will not plague you<\/i><\/p>\n

With such words as vague<\/i> and ague<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>But be careful how you speak<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Say: gush, bush, steak, streak, break, bleak <\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Previous, precious, fuchsia, via<\/i><\/p>\n

Recipe, pipe, studding-sail, choir;<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Woven<\/i>, oven<\/i>, how<\/i> and low<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Script<\/i>, receipt<\/i>, shoe<\/i>, poem<\/i>, toe<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Say, expecting fraud and trickery<\/i>:
\nDaughter<\/i>, laughter<\/i> and Terpsichore<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Branch, ranch, measles<\/i>, topsails<\/i>, aisles<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Missiles<\/i>, similes<\/i>, reviles<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Wholly<\/i>, holly<\/i>, signal<\/i>, signing<\/i>,
\nSame<\/i>, examining<\/i>, but mining<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Scholar<\/i>, vicar<\/i>, and cigar<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Solar<\/i>, mica<\/i>, war<\/i> and far<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

From “desire”: desirable<\/i>–admirable<\/i> from “admire”,
\nLumber<\/i>, plumber<\/i>, bier<\/i>, but brier<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Topsham<\/i>, brougham<\/i>, renown<\/i>, but known<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Knowledge<\/i>, done<\/i>, lone<\/i>, gone<\/i>, none<\/i>, tone<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

One<\/i>, anemone<\/i>, Balmoral<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Kitchen<\/i>, lichen<\/i>, laundry<\/i>, laurel<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Gertrude<\/i>, German<\/i>, wind<\/i> and wind<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Beau, kind, kindred, queue<\/i>, mankind<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tortoise<\/i>, turquoise<\/i>, chamois-leather<\/i>,
\nReading, Reading<\/i>, heathen<\/i>, heather<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>This phonetic labyrinth
\n   <\/tt>Gives moss<\/i>, gross<\/i>, brook<\/i>, brooch<\/i>, ninth<\/i>, plinth<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Have you ever yet endeavoured<\/i><\/p>\n

To pronounce revered<\/i> and severed<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Demon, lemon, ghoul, foul, soul,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Peter, petrol <\/i>and patrol<\/i>?<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Billet<\/i> does not end like ballet<\/i>;<\/p>\n

Bouquet<\/i>, wallet<\/i>, mallet<\/i>, chalet<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Blood<\/i> and flood<\/i> are not like food<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Nor is mould<\/i> like should<\/i> and would<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Banquet<\/i> is not nearly parquet<\/i>,
\nWhich exactly rhymes with khaki<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Discount<\/i>, viscount<\/i>, load<\/i> and broad<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Toward<\/i>, to forward<\/i>, to reward<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ricocheted<\/i> and crocheting<\/i>, croquet<\/i>?
\nRight! Your pronunciation’s OK.
\n   <\/tt>Rounded<\/i>, wounded<\/i>, grieve<\/i> and sieve<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Friend<\/i> and fiend<\/i>, alive<\/i> and live<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Is your r correct in higher<\/i>?
\nKeats asserts it rhymes Thalia<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Hugh<\/i>, but hug<\/i>, and hood<\/i>, but hoot<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Buoyant<\/i>, minute<\/i>, but minute<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Say abscission<\/i> with precision<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Now: position<\/i> and transition<\/i>;
\n   <\/tt>Would it tally with my rhyme<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>If I mentioned paradigm<\/i>?<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Twopence, threepence, tease<\/i> are easy<\/i>,<\/p>\n

But cease, crease, grease<\/i> and greasy<\/i>?
\n   <\/tt>Cornice, nice, valise, revise,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Rabies,<\/i> but lullabies<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Of such puzzling words as nauseous<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Rhyming well with cautious, tortious<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>You’ll envelop<\/i> lists, I hope,
\n   <\/tt>In a linen envelope<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Would you like some more? You’ll have it<\/i>!<\/p>\n

Affidavit, David, davit<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>To abjure<\/i>, to perjure<\/i>. Sheik<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Does not sound like Czech<\/i> but ache<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Liberty<\/i>, library<\/i>, heave<\/i> and heaven<\/i>,
\nRachel<\/i>, loch<\/i>, moustache<\/i>, eleven<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>We say hallowed<\/i>, but allowed<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>People<\/i>, leopard<\/i>, towed<\/i> but vowed<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Mark the difference, moreover,<\/p>\n

Between mover<\/i>, plover<\/i>, Dover<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Leeches<\/i>, breeches<\/i>, wise<\/i>, precise<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Chalice<\/i>, but police<\/i> and lice<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Camel<\/i>, constable<\/i>, unstable<\/i>,
\nPrinciple<\/i>, disciple<\/i>, label<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Petal<\/i>, penal<\/i>, and canal<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Wait<\/i>, surmise<\/i>, plait<\/i>, promise<\/i>, pal<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Suit<\/i>, suite<\/i>, ruin<\/i>. Circuit<\/i>, conduit<\/i>
\nRhyme with “shirk it” and “beyond it”,
\n   <\/tt>But it is not hard to tell
\n   <\/tt>Why it’s pall<\/i>, mall<\/i>, but Pall<\/i> Mall<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Muscle<\/i>, muscular<\/i>, gaol<\/i>, iron<\/i>,
\nTimber<\/i>, climber<\/i>, bullion<\/i>, lion,<\/i><\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Worm<\/i> and storm<\/i>, chaise<\/i>, chaos<\/i>, chair<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Senator<\/i>, spectator<\/i>, mayor<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ivy<\/i>, privy<\/i>, famous<\/i>; clamour<\/i>
\nHas the a of drachm<\/i> and hammer<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Pussy<\/i>, hussy<\/i> and possess<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Desert<\/i>, but desert<\/i>, address<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Golf<\/i>, wolf<\/i>, countenance<\/i>, lieutenants<\/i>
\nHoist in lieu<\/i> of flags left pennants<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Courier, courtier, tomb<\/i>, bomb<\/i>, comb<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Cow<\/i>, but Cowper,<\/i> some<\/i> and home<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“Solder, soldier<\/i>! <\/i>Blood is thicker<\/i>“,
\nQuoth he, “than liqueur<\/i> or liquor<\/i>“,
\n   <\/tt>Making, it is sad but true<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>In bravado, much ado<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Stranger<\/i> does not rhyme with anger<\/i>,
\nNeither does devour<\/i> with clangour<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Pilot, pivot, gaunt<\/i>, but aunt<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Font<\/i>, front<\/i>, wont<\/i>, want<\/i>, grand<\/i> and grant<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Arsenic, specific, scenic,<\/i>
\nRelic, rhetoric, hygienic<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Gooseberry, goose<\/i>, and close<\/i>, but close<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Paradise, rise, rose<\/i>, and dose<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Say inveigh, neigh<\/i>, but inveigle<\/i>,
\nMake the latter rhyme with eagle<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Mind<\/i>! Meandering<\/i> but mean<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Valentine<\/i> and magazine<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And I bet you, dear, a penny<\/i>,
\nYou say mani<\/i>-(fold) like many<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Which is wrong. Say rapier, pier,<\/i><\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Tier<\/i> (one who ties), but tier<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Arch, archangel<\/i>; pray, does erring<\/i>
\nRhyme with herring<\/i> or with stirring<\/i>?<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Prison, bison, treasure trove,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Treason, hover, cover, cove,<\/i><\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Perseverance, severance<\/i>. Ribald<\/i>
\nRhymes (but piebald<\/i> doesn’t) with nibbled<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Phaeton, paean, gnat, ghat, gnaw,<\/i><\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Lien, psychic, shone, bone, pshaw<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Don’t be down<\/i>, my own<\/i>, but rough it<\/i>,
\nAnd distinguish buffet<\/i>, buffet<\/i>;<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Brood, stood, roof, rook, school, wool, boon,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Worcester, Boleyn, to impugn<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Say in sounds correct and sterling<\/i>
\nHearse, hear, hearken, year<\/i> and yearling<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Evil, devil, mezzotint,<\/i><\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Mind the z! (A gentle hint.)<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Now you need not pay attention
\nTo such sounds as I don’t mention,
\n   <\/tt>Sounds like pores, pause, pours <\/i>and paws<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Rhyming with the pronoun yours<\/i>;<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nor are proper names included<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Though I often heard, as you did<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Funny rhymes to unicorn<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Yes, you know them, Vaughan<\/i> and Strachan<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

No, my maiden, coy and comely<\/i>,<\/p>\n

I don’t want to speak of Cholmondeley<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>No. Yet Froude<\/i> compared with proud<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Is no better than McLeod<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But mind trivial<\/i> and vial<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Tripod, menial, denial<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Troll<\/i> and trolley<\/i>, realm<\/i> and ream<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Schedule, mischief, schism, <\/i>and scheme<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Argil, gill, Argyll, gill. Surely<\/i>
\nMay be made to rhyme with Raleigh<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>But you’re not supposed to say
\n   <\/tt>Piquet<\/i> rhymes with sobriquet<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Had this invalid invalid<\/i><\/p>\n

Worthless documents? How pallid<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>How uncouth<\/i> he, couchant<\/i>, looked,
\n   <\/tt>When for Portsmouth<\/i> I had booked!<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Zeus, Thebes, Thales, Aphrodite<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Paramour, enamoured, flighty<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Episodes, antipodes,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Acquiesce<\/i>, and obsequies<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Please don’t monkey with the geyser<\/i>,
\nDon’t peel ‘taters with my razor<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Rather say in accents pure:
\n   <\/tt>Nature, stature <\/i>and mature<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pious, impious, limb, climb, glumly,<\/i>
\nWorsted, worsted, crumbly, dumbly,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Conquer, conquest, vase, phase, fan,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Wan, sedan<\/i> and artisan<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The th<\/b><\/tt> will surely trouble you<\/i>
\nMore than r<\/b><\/tt>, ch<\/b><\/tt> or w<\/b><\/tt><\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Say then these phonetic gems<\/i>:<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Thomas, thyme, Theresa, Thames.<\/i><\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Thompson, Chatham, Waltham, Streatham,<\/i>
\nThere are more but I forget ’em<\/i>–
\n   <\/tt>Wait! I’ve got it: Anthony<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Lighten your anxiety.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The archaic word albeit<\/i><\/p>\n

Does not rhyme with eight<\/i>-you see it<\/i>;
\n   <\/tt>With<\/i> and forthwith<\/i>, one has voice,
\n   <\/tt>One has not, you make your choice.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Shoes, goes, does<\/i> *. Now first say: finger<\/i>;<\/p>\n

Then say: singer, ginger, linger<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Real<\/i>, zeal<\/i>, mauve, gauze<\/i> and gauge<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Marriage<\/i>, foliage<\/i>, mirage<\/i>, age<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Hero, heron, query, very<\/i>,
\nParry, tarry fury, bury,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Dost<\/i>, lost<\/i>, post<\/i>, and doth<\/i>, cloth<\/i>, loth<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Job<\/i>, Job<\/i>, blossom<\/i>, bosom<\/i>, oath<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Faugh, oppugnant<\/i>, keen oppugners<\/i>,
\nBowing<\/i>, bowing<\/i>, banjo-tuners<\/i><\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Holm<\/i> you know, but noes, canoes<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Puisne<\/i>, truism<\/i>, use<\/i>, to use<\/i>?<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Though the difference seems little<\/i>,<\/p>\n

We say actual<\/i>, but victual<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Seat<\/i>, sweat<\/i>, chaste<\/i>, caste<\/i>, Leigh<\/i>, eight<\/i>, height<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Put<\/i>, nut<\/i>, granite<\/i>, and unite<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Reefer<\/i> does not rhyme with deafer<\/i>,
\nFeoffer <\/i>does, and zephyr<\/i>, heifer<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Dull<\/i>, bull<\/i>, Geoffrey<\/i>, George<\/i>, ate<\/i>, late<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Hint<\/i>, pint<\/i>, senate<\/i>, but sedate<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Gaelic<\/i>, Arabic<\/i>, pacific<\/i>,
\nScience<\/i>, conscience<\/i>, scientific<\/i>;
\n   <\/tt>Tour<\/i>, but our, dour, succour<\/i>, four<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Gas<\/i>, alas<\/i>, and Arkansas<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Say manoeuvre, yacht<\/i> and vomit<\/i>,
\nNext omit<\/i>, which differs from it<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Bona fide, alibi<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Gyrate, dowry<\/i> and awry<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sea<\/i>, idea<\/i>, guinea<\/i>, area<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Psalm<\/i>, Maria<\/i>, but malaria<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Youth<\/i>, south<\/i>, southern<\/i>, cleanse<\/i> and clean<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Doctrine<\/i>, turpentine<\/i>, marine<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Compare alien<\/i> with Italian<\/i>,
\nDandelion<\/i> with battalion<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Rally<\/i> with ally<\/i>; yea<\/i>, ye<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Eye<\/i>, I<\/i>, ay<\/i>, aye<\/i>, whey<\/i>, key<\/i>, quay<\/i>!<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Say aver<\/i>, but ever<\/i>, fever<\/i>,
\nNeither<\/i>, leisure<\/i>, skein<\/i>, receiver<\/i>.<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Never guess-it is not safe<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>We say calves<\/i>, valves<\/i>, half<\/i>, but Ralf<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Starry,<\/i> granary<\/i>, canary<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Crevice<\/i>, but device<\/i>, and eyrie<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Face<\/i>, but preface<\/i>, then grimace<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Phlegm<\/i>, phlegmatic<\/i>, ass<\/i>, glass<\/i>, bass<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bass<\/i>, large<\/i>, target<\/i>, gin<\/i>, give<\/i>, verging<\/i>,
\nOught<\/i>, oust,<\/i> joust<\/i>, and scour<\/i>, but scourging<\/i>;<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Ear<\/i>, but earn<\/i>; and ere<\/i> and tear<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Do not rhyme with here<\/i> but heir<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Mind the o of off<\/i> and often<\/i><\/p>\n

Which may be pronounced as orphan<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>With the sound of saw<\/i> and sauce<\/i>;
\n   <\/tt>Also soft, lost, cloth<\/i> and cross<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pudding, puddle, putting<\/i>. Putting<\/i>?
\nYes: at golf it rhymes with shutting<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Respite, spite, consent, resent.<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Liable<\/i>, but Parliament<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Seven<\/i> is right, but so is even<\/i>,<\/p>\n

Hyphen<\/i>, roughen<\/i>, nephew<\/i>, Stephen<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Monkey<\/i>, donkey<\/i>, clerk<\/i> and jerk<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Asp<\/i>, grasp<\/i>, wasp<\/i>, demesne<\/i>, cork<\/i>, work<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A<\/b><\/tt> of valour, vapid vapour,<\/i><\/p>\n

S<\/b><\/tt> of news<\/i> (compare newspaper<\/i>),
\n   <\/tt>G<\/b><\/tt> of gibbet, gibbon, gist,<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>I<\/b><\/tt> of antichrist<\/i> and grist<\/i>,<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Differ like diverse<\/i> and divers<\/i>,
\nRivers, strivers, shivers, fivers<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Once<\/i>, but nonce, toll, doll, <\/i>but roll<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Polish, Polish, poll <\/i>and poll<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pronunciation-think of Psyche<\/i>!-
\nIs a paling, stout and spiky<\/i>.
\n   <\/tt>Won’t it make you lose your wits<\/i>
\n   <\/tt>Writing groats<\/i> and saying “grits”?<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It’s a dark abyss<\/i> or tunnel<\/i>
\nStrewn with stones like rowlock<\/i>, gunwale<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Islington<\/i>, and Isle<\/i> of Wight<\/i>,<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Housewife<\/i>, verdict<\/i> and indict<\/i>.<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Don’t you think so, reader, rather<\/i>,
\nSaying lather<\/i>, bather<\/i>, father<\/i>?<\/p>\n

   <\/tt>Finally, which rhymes with enough<\/i>,
\n   <\/tt>Though<\/i>, through<\/i>, bough<\/i>, cough<\/i>, hough<\/i>, sough, tough<\/i>??<\/xxx4><\/xxx3><\/xxx2><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Hiccough<\/i> has the sound of sup<\/i>…
\nMy advice is: GIVE IT UP!<\/xxx2>
\n– G. Nolst Trenit\u00e9<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Please ignore the extra ‘u’ here and there – it’s an English poem (as in, the nation), and was written by a Dutchman, Gerard Nolst Trenit\u00e9 (1870-1946), who also wrote under the pseudonym Charivarius. It first appeared in an appendix to the author\u2019s 1920 textbook Drop Your Foreign Accent: engelsche uitspraakoefeningen<\/i><\/u>.<\/p>\n

One must ask: in what world does parquet<\/i> rhyme with khaki<\/i>???<\/p>\n

This does not help us with Scots English at all<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

T’s friend Lissa took Voice & Diction at a Colorado College in the early nineties, and remembers having to recite bits of this poem as part of an oral exam. Read it aloud – and it seems reasonably easy at first. And then you remember: (Edited to add: – this is according to Lissa’s long-ago […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-miscellany"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3857\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbitsabroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}