
EVERY-DAY - ERRORS OF SPEECH
BY - L. P. MEREDITH, M.D., D.D.S., - AUTHOR OF "THE TEETH, AND HOW TO SAVE THEM."
INTRODUCTION
Errors of Speech.
KEY TO THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE RESPELLING
SCRIPTURAL, MYTHOLOGICAL AND OTHER PROPER NAMES.
SCRIPTURAL NAMES.
GREEK AND LATIN PROPER NAMES—MYTHOLOGICAL, ETC.
MODERN BIOGRAPHICAL NAMES.
MODERN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES.
The work opens with a lively observation that, despite its many regional quirks and foreign influences, English remains remarkably intelligible across distances. Yet the author warns that unchecked mispronunciations threaten to erode that shared understanding, turning everyday dialogue into a subtle Babel. By tracing the origins of common slip‑ups, the book invites readers to consider how habit and imitation often outweigh formal study in shaping speech.
Within its pages the author catalogs a series of everyday errors—from the misplacement of stress in familiar names to the distortion of loanwords—showing how even well‑educated speakers can fall prey to them. He supplies clear, concise guidance for correcting each mistake, referencing the most respected dictionaries of the day while emphasizing practical, habit‑forming exercises. The tone remains conversational, making the material accessible to anyone who wishes to polish their diction without wading through an exhaustive lexicon.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (143K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Larry B. Harrison and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2010-05-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best known for practical 19th-century guides on clear speech and dental care, this little-known writer blended medical training with a strong urge to teach everyday readers. The surviving record is thin, but the books suggest a hands-on professional who wanted useful knowledge to be widely understood.
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