15 APRIL 1893, Page 18

CHANGE IN PRONUNCIATION.

[To Tits EDITOR OF TRH "SPECTATOR.")

Sin,—The " correct " pronunciation of the names of several families shows confirmation of Mr. Dermer's theory that " e" before " r " and another consonant was formerly pronounced "a." "Berkeley," " Bertie," " Hervey," "Jervis" are cases in point ; " correct " people speak of Lord Darwent. The fact that a corrupted form of spelling these names is current (" Harvie," "Harvey," " Barkly," " Jarvis") would seem further proof ; and the fact that the families I have named retain the old pronunciation implies, I think, that Verzon was an exception to this rule.—I am, Sir, (ke., B,