6 APRIL 1912, Page 17

[TO THU EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR. "] Sni,—In reply to

" Scot's " letter in the Spectator of March 30th on the above marking, I think the " Concise Oxford Diction- ary " is perfectly right. If he will look again he will see that the long mark is extended over the " r," not that both letters are to have the same emphasis, but only that the " r " is not to be ignored. I think it is a very ingenious device for showing that there is a final " r" sound, The pronunciation of " idea" is precisely the same as " dear," and I think your corre- spondent would in this case hardly sanction the omission of the "r."—I am, Sir, &c.,

FREDERICK LONG.