Few examples for our children

THE EDITOR: I am sure we understand the following conversation: “Mummy home. Johnny gone river bathe little brother. Johnny sad: can’t play right half Intercol; Wednesday Grannie going doctor.” Of course it is: “Mummy is at home. Johnny has gone to the river to bathe his little brother. Johnny is sad because he can’t play at right half in Intercol and because, on Wednesday, Grannie will be going to the doctor.” Clearly, some words are more important than others. The first statement is clear enough but many words are added in the second. One must conclude that the omitted words are not vital to understanding. These omitted words are: is (the verb to be): has, will, be (auxiliary or helping verbs); at, to, in, on (prepositions); the (article); because, and (conjunctions).

We can see why, in normal speech and reading, these words (verb to be), prepositions, auxiliary verbs, articles and conjunctions) are not stressed while the others are: (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Therefore, the child will say (stressing the words in capital letters): “MUMMY is at HOME. JOHNNY has GONE to the RIVER to BATHE his LITTLE BROTHER. JOHNNY is SAD because he CAN’T PLAY at RIGHT HALF in INTERCOL and because, on WEDNESDAY, GRANNIE will be GOING to the DOCTOR.” This is natural, and normal. Teachers who prepare students for oral presentations know that they have to pay close attention to the words that should be stressed. Unfortunately, several of our TV presenters use the unnatural and abnormal stress on prepositions, auxiliary verbs, conjunctions and the verb to be.

Many people do not think all this important or they consider a pleasant tone of voice, pleasant manner and attractive appearance more important. But Sir Trevor MacDonald achieved excellence in speech, international fame, and a knighthood from listening to and learning from the radio — presenters usually spoke well then. Today our children have too many less knowledgeable models. Finally, although TT still has a host of excellent speakers, I shall end with a famous quotation from a world-renowned figure, Sir Winston Churchill, as he spoke it: “NEVER in the HISTORY of HUMAN CONFLICT has SO MUCH been OWED by SO MANY to SO FEW.”

VAN STEWART
Diego Martin