Kohpra, Or Kohbra?

Do You Say Kopra,

JYJAJOR CLIVE JOSKE, of Suva, started He was in a literary mood on September 21, and he wrote this paragraph for his interesting weekly bulletin to the Fiji Coconut Planters’ Union: “There is some conflict of opinion as to the pronunciation of the word ‘copra.’

Webster’s International Dictionary, in the edition of 1900. gives the pronunciation as ‘ko-pra,’ and says it is derived from the Malayam ‘koppara’ or the Hindustani ‘khopra.’ Malayam does not mean Mala yan, but is the name given to a language spoken in the Madras Province. Webster says that the word is also written ‘cobra,’ ‘copperah,’ ‘coppra’.”

“A Coconut Planter” then wrote to the Fiji Times and Herald :

“The etymology of the word ‘copra’ un doubtedly has its origin among the many varied forms of this word which are found in the vernacular of the states of South ern India: viz.: Khopra, Hindustani; Kob bera, Telugu; and Koppera (short o) Malayaham, etc., etc. From this it will be seen that there is no doubt as to what is the correct pronunciation. Copra (long o) remains the name by which the dried meat of the coconut is known.”

The pronunciation of the word varies according to locality. In Australia, Papua and New Guinea it is universally “kopra” (short o). In London, it is usually “koh pra” (long o), as stated by Major Joske.

In Samoa, where I was recently, it was almost always “kohbra” (long o. and b instead of p). I attributed this to the German influence, because Germans, when speaking English, usually soften our har der consonants. In Fiji I heard “kopra,”

“kohpra” and “kohbra,” which seemed to represent a mixture of English. Austra

lian and Samoan influences.

R.W.R.