Early Interest in Shakespearean: Original Pronunciation

Abstract

Recent interest in Shakespearean phonology in the 2000s, under the heading of ‘original pronunciation’ (OP), has a history which can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. A memorandum by Richard Grant White in 1865 was followed by a detailed analysis by Alexander Ellis, particular attention being paid to Shakespeare’s rhymes. Later studies, transcriptions, or presentations include those of Wilhelm Viëtor, Daniel Jones (whose influence was particularly important), Harold Palmer, F. G. Blandford, and A. C. Gimson. BBC broadcasts of extracts from Shakespeare in OP took place during the 1930s and 1940s, and proved popular, but full productions in London and Cambridge during the 1950s received mixed reviews. Dramaturgical and scholarly criticisms are briefly discussed, and the value of the reconstruction exercise strongly affirmed.

Keywords:

• accents
• Early Modern English
• Daniel Jones
• original pronunciation
• phonology
• Shakespeare

Notes

1 For the details of Jones’s early career, see, Collins and Mees (1998: 58–62, 266, 368–70, 444–48), where examples can also be found of the programme and transcriptions.

2 The list says it is in two parts, but only Part 1 is relevant, as the other side is a modern English conversation at the tobacconist’s!

3 Eileen Evans became Eileen Whitley — the lady who gave me my phonetics oral examination in my BA finals exam (Crystal, 2010: 88–89). A later external examiner, for my PhD, was Vivian Salmon.

4 My own transcriptions have been influenced by Gimson, who taught me OP when I studied under him at UCL.

5 I am indebted to David Barrett for tracking down the details of this production and of the associated reviews, as part of research for a forthcoming doctoral thesis, ‘Performing Shakespeare in the Original Pronunciation’.

6 Personal communication, July 2012.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Crystal

David Crystal is Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Bangor. His previous work on original pronunciation includes Pronouncing Shakespeare (2005), and collaborations with Shakespeare’s Globe and the Universities of Kansas and Reno on their productions. He was Sam Wanamaker Fellow at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2003–04.

Correspondence to: David Crystal, Akaroa, Gors Avenue, Holyhead ll65 1pb, UK. Email: [email protected]