As early colonists employed odd spellings, so too they often brought unexpected pronunciations with them. This was particularly the case in Virginia, where the leading families had a special fondness for pronouncing their family names in improbable ways, so that Sclater became Slaughter, Munford became Mumfud, Randolph was Randall, Wyatt was Wait, Devereaux was Deverecks, Callowhill was Carroll, Higginson was Hickerson, Norsworthy was Nazary, and Taliaferro became a somewhat less than self-evident Tolliver.
Early American colonists exhibited unique and unconventional spellings, which influenced the way they pronounced names. This trend was especially apparent in Virginia, where prominent families would often alter the pronunciation of their last names in surprising ways. For instance, Sclater was pronounced as Slaughter, while Munford took on the pronunciation of Mumfud.
This pattern extended to other surnames as well. Names like Randolph became Randall, Wyatt shifted to Wait, and Devereaux was pronounced as Deverecks. Such variations led to unexpected pronunciations, with names like Callowhill evolving into Carroll and Taliaferro becoming the less recognizable Tolliver. These changes reflect the unique linguistic development in early American society.
Rate the Quote
User Reviews
Other quotes in book quote
All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
