1903 Theses Master's

Divided usage in English accentuation

Sonna, Agatha Jean

It is not very long since arbitrary rules for pronunciation raised no unorthodox doubts in the minds of dictionary-devotees. But all that is changed. It is now generally recognized that language, in all its phases, is in a constant state of flux. Vocabulary, syntax, inflection, spelling, and pronunciation, -all these change not only from century to century but from day to day. A new reign of terror is being inaugurated for the old dogmatic utterances of the compilers.