Comptroller (with a "p")

[Wilson Gray]

On 1/3/06, Bapopik at aol.com <Bapopik at aol.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Bapopik at AOL.COM
> Subject:      Comptroller (with a "p")
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> OED doesn't allow the pronunciation of "Comptroller" with a  "comp," Bill
> Thompson made a point of adding the "p" at his swearing in  last Sunday. Barbara
> Walters cited "the dictionary" on "controller" and  "comptroller." I cringed
> (pre-"O. Henry" mistake cringe)...My letter to the  NY Times about "O. Henry"
> hasn't been published. So much for scholarship or even  simple correctness.
> ...

As usual, Barry, you are so right. Back in the '50's, the chief
financial officer of Saint Louis University had the title,
"Comptroller of Accounts," pronounced "Controller ..."

-Wilson Gray

> ...
> ...
> _Inaugural Highlights_ (http://www.nypress.com/blog/blog.cfm?blog_id=316)
> New York Press, NY -  <NOBR>Jan 1,
> ... And Barbara Walters  pondered the difference between the jobs of
> "controller" and  "comptroller," which has been baffling copy editors for years.
> ...
> ...
> ...
> (OED)
> comptroller
>  An erroneous spelling of _CONTROLLER_
> (http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/crossref?query_type=word&queryword=comptroller&first=1&max_to_show=10&single=1&sort_ty
> pe=alpha&xrefword=controller) , introduced  c 1500, and formerly frequent in
> all senses; still retained in certain  official designations, while in others
> it has been changed to the ordinary  spelling. Hence comptrollership.
> Whitaker's  Almanac, 1890, gives (p. 84) Her Majesty's , 1890, gComptroller
> of Household; Clerk  Comptroller, Kitchen. Lord Chamberlain's . Lord
> ChaComptroller of Accounts. Chapel  . ChaComptroller of Royal Closet. Household of
> Prince of . HouComptroller and Treasurer. Household of  Duchess of .
> HousComptroller. So in Households of Prince  Christian, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of
> Connaught. Also, in Government Offices (p.  148): Exchequer and Audit . So in
> HoComptroller and Auditor-General;  Assistant Comptroller and Auditor. Board of .
> BoaComptroller of Corn Returns. Patent  . PateComptroller General. National Debt
> . NatiComptroller General; Assistant  Comptroller.
> But on the other hand: (p. 147) Controller  of the Navy; Controller of H.M.
> Stationery Office; and so in the  various departments of the Inland Revenue,
> Post Office, Telegraphs, etc.
>