NAMES OF PLACES—PROVINCIAL DIALECTS.
Every reader of "N. & Q." must be acquainted with places throughout the country pronounced very differently to their spelling. It has occurred to me that a collection of them would be interesting, both as a topographical curiosity, and as an illustration of our provincial dialects. No paper is fitter for such a collection than the "N. & Q.;" its correspondents would doubtless communicate any within their notice, and you, Mr. Editor, would from time to time give up a little space to them.
The following are what I remember just now:—
| Spelling. | Pronunciation. |
| Wednesbury (near Birmingham) | Wedgbury |
| Smethwick (near Birmingham) | Smerrick |
| Cirencester | Cisiter |
| Bothal (Northumberland) | Botal |
| Merstham (Surrey) | Maestrum |
| Carshalton (Surrey) | Casehorton |
| Shepton (Somersetshire) | Shepun |
| Ratlinghope (Salop) | Ratchup |
| Chantlingbury (Sussex) | Shankbury |
| Hove (Sussex) | Hoove |
| Wavertree (near Liverpool) | Wartree |
| St. Neots | St. Nouts |
| Beauchamp | Beechem |
| Belvoir | Beever |
| Saubridgeworth | { Sapsworth |
| { or Sapsey |
Some of your correspondents may send Scotch, Irish, and Welsh specimens; I would suggest such be kept separate from the English. My own experience bids me carefully abstain from sending Welsh ones. When on a walking tour in Wales three years ago, I asked a peasant "if that road led to Aberga'ny" (with conscious pride in my pronunciation); "Nay, nay, sir, that road takes to Abergavenny."
P. M. M.