MPORTANCE.

ah! are.
arse, ass.
ask, aske (_newt_)
ayah, ire.
bah! bar, baa.
barb, barb (_horse_).
bask, basque.
barn, barne = bairn.
budge, budge (_stuff_).
buff, buff.
buffer, buffer.
berg, burgh (_suffixes_).
bin, bin = been.
broke (_v._ of _broke_), broke (fr. _break_).
broom, brume (_fog_).
darn, darn.
fizz, phiz.
few, feu.
forty, forte.
hay, heigh!
hem (_sew_), hem (_v._, _haw_).
hollow, hollo (_v._).
inn, in.
yawl (_boat_), yawl (_howl_).
coup, coo.
lamb, lam (_bang_).
loaf, loaf (_v. laufen_).
marry! marry (_v._).
nag (_pony_), nag (_to gnaw_), knag.
nap (_of cloth_), nap (_sleep_).
nay, neigh.
oh! owe.
ode, owed.
oxide, ox-eyed.
pax, packs.
pants, pants (fr. _pant_).
prose, pros (_and cons_).
sink (_var._), cinque.
swayed, suede (_kid_).
ternary, turnery.
tea, tee (_starting point_).
taw (_to dress skins_), taw (_game, marbles_), tore (fr. _tear_).
cheap, cheep.
tool, tulle,
we! woe.
ho! hoe.

The facts of the case being now sufficiently supplied by the above
list, I will put my attitude towards those facts in a logical sequence
under separate statements, which thus isolated will, if examined one
by one, avoid the confusion that their interdependence might otherwise
occasion. The sequence is thus:

1. Homophones are a nuisance.

2. They are exceptionally frequent in English.

3. They are self-destructive, and tend to become obsolete.

4. This loss impoverishes the language.

5. This impoverishment is now proceeding owing to the
prevalence of the Southern English standard of speech.

6. The mischief is being worsened and propagated by the
phoneticians.

7. The Southern English dialect has no claim to exclusive
preference.

1. _THAT HOMOPHONES ARE A NUISANCE._

An objector who should plead that homophones are not a nuisance might
allege the longevity of the Chinese language, composed, I believe,
chiefly of homophones distinguished from each other by an accentuation
which must be delicate difficult and precarious. I remember that Max
Mueller [1864] instanced a fictitious sentence

ba ba ba ba,

'which (he wrote) is said to mean if properly accented _The three
ladies gave a box on the ear to the favourite of the princess._' This
suggests that the bleating of sheep may have a richer significance
than we are accustomed to suppose; and i