To the numerous examples, cited in the essays mentioned, of changes wrought—sometimes over the long and indignant protest of the bearer of a surname that, in its original form, could be only a tongue-twister to an American—I have, lately, been able to make the interesting additions discussed in the paragraphs that follow. (I am taking it for granted that the readers of “Czechoslovak Student Life” are familiar enough with the Czech language to justify my omitting a guide to the pronunciation of the Bohemian words; as for the Americanized names, ordinary knowledge of the vagaries of English orthography and pronunciation will, in most cases, be sufficient.)
A Hnaníček obstinately refuses to do more than omit the diacritical marks in his signature. Rave as he will, his neighbors call him Mr. Kennanick, and the editor of the local weekly reports the sale of a carload of hogs by Mr. Hannick. It’s a pretty safe bet that by the time his son gets to the state university Hannick it will be. A Kašparek submits graciously enough to the pronunciations “Cash-pair-ick” or “Cuss-pair-ick”, both with accent on the second syllable, but squirms a little when the morning paper informs the public that “Mr. Caspary has opened up a new tailor shop on Broadway.” Never mind! he will fall for it, sooner or later. Neither more nor less has caused a Kavan to emerge finally as Cavanaugh, a Datel as De Atley, a Hrdý as Hardy, a Hanska as Hanskey, and a Paták as Paddock. Stoklasa, after being called Stocklassey for a time, became reconciled to Stowclassy, and so the Misses of the family are designated in the society columns. Chvála did not see much improvement in Whala, though the transliteration is almost perfect, and is now Whaley. Svazek is floundering about for something better than Swozzick or Swozzie, as most people will say it, and has about decided on Swazie, with a long a. Věta, after voluntarily writing Vieta without helping matters much, hit upon Veto. Švestka, Švanda and Švadleňák do not seem to get beyond the newspaper spellings Schwestka, Swanda and Schwadlenak, though most Americans find the latter as hard to say as the former. Příhoda has appeared in print as Pschigoda: how that is to be pronounced I don’t know; doubtless it will end up as Prickett or Pagoda within another generation. Fejfárek, Švihel, Rozkvět, Krčil, Šoupal, Klepetka, Havran, Šedivec, Prchal, Peksa (Pexa), and Šeredný have evolved into Fifer (through a reversion to the German Pfeiffer, whence both Fejfár and Fejfárek originated), Swiggle, Ross (through Rosskit or Rossket), Churchill, Swobble (through Schaubel or Schoble), Clapper or
