Every-Day Errors of Speech Part 10

=Period=--pe'ri-od, not per'i-od. =Periodic=, =Periodical=, etc., have also the long e.

=Perspire=, not _prespire_.

=Perspiration=, not _prespiration_.

=Persuade.= This word carries with it the idea of success in one's endeavors to convince or induce. "I _persuaded_ him for a long time, but he would not grant my request," should be, "I _tried_ to _persuade_ him," etc.

=Petrel=--pet'rel, not pe'trel. A bird. Worcester allows the latter also.

=Phaeton=--pha'et-on, not pha'te-on. A vehicle.

=Pharmaceutist=--far-ma-su'tist, not far-ma-ku'tist nor far-ma'ku-tist.

=Pharmacopia=--far-ma-co-pe'ya, not far-ma-co'pi-a.

=Piano=--pi-a'no, not pi-an'o. Worcester allows pi-an'o.

=Piano-forte=--pi-a'no-for'ta, not pi-an'o-fort. Worcester sanctions pi-a'no-for'te, pi-an'o-for-te, and remarks in parenthesis, _often_ pe-an'o-fort; but the last p.r.o.nunciation is evidently not preferred.

=Pilaster=--pi-las'ter, not pil'as-ter. A square pillar set into a wall and projecting slightly.

=Piquant=--pik'ant, not pik'want nor pek'want.

=Piquantly= (pik'ant-ly), etc.

=Placard=--pla-kard', not plak'ard.

=Placid=--plas'id, not pla'sid. =Placidly= and =placidness= have also the short a.

=Plait=--plat, not plat nor plet. A braid; or to braid.

=Plat= (plat) is a proper word, however, having the same meanings, but the difference in p.r.o.nunciation must be observed, when the spelling is as above. =Plait=, meaning a fold of cloth, as in a s.h.i.+rt bosom, is also p.r.o.nounced plat. How common an error it is to speak of the _pleets_ when alluding to such folds.

=Platina=--plat'i-na or pla-te'na, not pla-ti'na nor pla-tin'a. Worcester allows plat'i-na only.

=Platinum=--plat'i-num or pla-ti'num, not pla-te'num nor pla-tin'um. Worcester gives plat'i-num only.

=Plebeian=--ple-be'ian, not ple'bi-an. Ple-bon', as some p.r.o.nounce it, is outrageous, neither French, English, nor Hottentot.

=Plenary=--ple'na-ry, not plen'a-ry. Full; entire.

Worcester gives both methods.

=Poetaster=--po'et-as-ter, not po'et-tast-er. A petty poet.

=Poniard=--pon'yard, not poin'yard.

=Posthumous=--post'hu-mous, not post'hu-mous nor post-u'mous. =Posthumously= (post'hu-mous-ly).

=Potable=--po'ta-ble, not pot'a-ble. Drinkable.

=Potheen=--po-theen', not pot-teen'. When spelled =potteen=, however, as it may be correctly, the latter p.r.o.nunciation is proper.

=Prairie=--pra'ry, not per-ra'ry.

=Prebendary=--preb'end-a-ry, not pre'bend-a-ry. A clergyman of a collegiate or cathedral church, who enjoys a prebend.

=Prebend=--preb'end, not pre'bend. A stipend.

=Precedence=--pre-se'dence, not pres'e-dence. =Precedency= and =precedently=, have the second syllable accented also.

=Precedent=--pre-se'dent, not pres'e-dent. An adjective meaning antecedent.

=Precedent=--pres'e-dent, not pre-se'dent nor pre'se-dent. A noun meaning an example or preceding circ.u.mstance. =Precedented= and =unprecedented= have also the short e.

=Precocious=--pre-ko'shus, not pre-kosh'us.

=Precociously= and =precociousness= have also the long o.

=Predatory=--pred'a-to-ry, not pre'da-tory. Plundering; pillaging.

=Predecessor=--pred-e-ces'sor, not pre-de-ces'sor.

=Preface=--pref'ace, not pre'face. =Prefatory= (pref'a-to-ry).

=Prejudice=, not _predudice_.

=Prelate=--prel'ate, not pre'-late.

=Presage=, not _prestige_, when something is meant that foreshows a future event; an omen. "This is a _presage_ of victory."

=Prescription=, not _perscription_.

=Prestige=, not _presage_, when it is meant that some one carries weight or influence from past deeds or successes. "The _prestige_ of the hero's name was half the battle."

=Presentiment=--pre-sent'i-ment, not pre-zent'i-ment.

=Pretty=--prit'ty, not pre'ty. =Prettily= (prit'ti-ly), etc.

=Preventive=, not _preventative_.

=Primeval=--pri-me'val, not prim'e-val.

=Process=--pros'ess, not pro'sess.

=Prodigy=, not _projidy_.

=Produce=--prod'uce, not pro'duce. The noun; the verb is pro-duce'.

=Product=--prod'uct, not pro'duct.

=Progress=--prog'ress, not pro'gress. Noun; the verb is pro-gress'.