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49A Grove Street, Liverpool.—Comments on McKerrow’s book on English pronunciation for Japanese readers (Eigo Hatsuongaku).

(With envelope.)

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Transcript

49A Grove Street, Liverpool
12 Sep 1902

Dear Sir,

I am much obliged to you for a gift of a copy of your new book on English pronunciation for Japanese readers. {1} I have read all that is English in it, and have been able to see that it covers the ground very thoroughly. Your English is based, I note, entirely on Southern authorities and examples, such as Dr Sweet, Miss Soames & our valued friend Prof. Rippmann. No doubt it is also the English habitual to yourself. But I think I should have attempted in such a case to avoid the most conspicuous localisms of the South,—the total loss of post-vocalic r, for example. Japan is visited by English speakers from many places besides the South of England, and, except perhaps the Australians, they would all repudiate the banishment of post-vocalic r. I sometimes fear our differences are widening. In any case some measure of standardisation would be a boon. Excuse this digression, which does not affect the substantial merit of your book. You have done a good work, I am convinced, both for England & Japan. With best thanks,

Yours faithfully
R. J. Lloyd

R. B. McKerrow, Esq.
22 Friars’ Stile Road
Richmond
Surrey

[Direction on envelope:] R. B. McKerrow Esq, | 22 Friars’ Stile Road, | Richmond, | Surrey.

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Black-edged paper and envelope. The envelope was postmarked at Liverpool at 12.15 p.m. on 19 September 1902, and at Richmond, Surrey, at 9.45 p.m. the same day.

{1} Eigo Hatsuongaku (‘English Phonetics’), by R. B. McKerrow and H. Katayama (1902).