ghoti, the W.J. Sidis version

[Dennis R. Preston]

Notice an implication of the older and traditional pronunciation of
"radish" as "reddish" in this account. Still around (and not a
Northern Cities Shift phenomenon).

dInIs

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>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
>Subject:      ghoti, the W.J. Sidis version
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>
>William James Sidis (1898-1944) was a child prodigy who evidently wrote
>several
>publications under pseudonyms, and he reportedly would told a
>ghoti/fish story.
>The following quote also includes a "stage-Frenchman" dialog, since we
>have the
>1943 claim by C.L. Wrenn that ghoti was from such a speaker:
>
>Billy felt that the elaborate learning of vocabularies and grammars often left
>the language student unable to figure things out for himself. He cited the
>instance of the American in Paris who wanted to order horseradish with his
>dinner, but did not know how to ask for it. "I know the French for "horse' is
>'cheval,' he said, and 'red' I suppose is ?rouge,' and if I only knew the
>French for ?ish' I could ask for some."
>
>     However, grammar has its irregularities, and one cannot be too
>precise--even
>though it may not seem logical. Billy used to tell about the
>conversation of the
>Englishman with the logically minded Frenchman.
>
>     Frenchman: "Ah, you climb the Matterhorn! That is a foot to be proud of.
>
>     Englishman: "Pardon me, sir, you mean "feat."
>
>     Frenchman: "So you climb it more than once, eh?"
>
>     When foreigners tried to pronounce English Billy's sympathy was with them,
>for few languages can rival English in inconsistencies, but he thought the man
>became too easily discouraged who gave up English lessons when he saw the news
>headline: WOMAN PRONOUNCED DEAD.
>
>     Once, for dinner, we had a new word. It was not an East Indian
>dinner, even
>though the word might seem to resemble Hindustani. The word was "ghoti,"
>pronounced" fish."
>
>     The "gh" is from the pronounciation of "laugh,"--and is "f."
>
>     The "o" is from the pronunciation of "women"--and is "i."
>
>     The "ti" is from the pronounciation of "temptation" --and is "sh."
>
>     Thus "ghoti" is "fish."
>
>Source:
>http://www.sidis.net/laterlifestory.htm
>
>Stephen Goranson
>http://www.duke.edu/~goranson
>
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>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

--
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himself in his own true character - that is, as an ignorant man [sic]
thinking, actively utilizing his small share of knowledge. Alfred
North Whitehead

There are many different religions in this world, but if you look at
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They were invented by a giant, superintelligent slug named Dennis.
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Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
15-C Morrill Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1036
Phone: (517) 353-4736
Fax: (517) 353-3755
preston at msu.edu

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