It's pronunciation, not pronounciation

Pacifically instead of specifically, expresso for espresso, probly for probably, seketary for secretary, Febrary for February, medsin for medicine, tenderhooks for tenterhooks, definately for definitely, mischievious for mischievous . . . it drives me mad!

it's pronunciation, not pronounciation . . . and it's arctic not artic, and H is aitch not haitch, etc, etc (that's etcetera not excetera). Don’t you agree?

My friend Susie Dent tells me to calm down.: ‘Language evolves: pronunciation changes; get over it, Gyles.’ I know I should, but I find I can’t - which is why my friend Gerald Gouriet’s variation on a Cole Porter classic has given my such pleasure this weekend.

In days gone by pronunciation

Was part of an education

Now heaven knows

Anything goes!

I’m sad to say that ‘manafacture’

Or ‘nucular’ powered reactor

Go unopposed

Anything goes.

The sounds that I hear today

In my ear today

Are in disarray

(I’ve a dossier!)

It’s not ev’ry day

That I react this way

From my head to my toes.

The ‘secetry’ of ‘ejucation’

Or ‘goverment’ of the ‘nashun’

Should interpose

Before everything goes.