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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

chees and chaws en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /t͡ʃiːz ənd t͡ʃɔːz/ (UK)

Etymology

Onomatopoeic, from the Italianate pronunciation of c as /t͡ʃ/ (“ch”) before i and e.

Meanings

  1. (dated, derogatory, plural, plural-only) The sounds made in Italianate pronunciation of Latin.
    • The Italian pronunciation of Latin with ch instead of c, benedichere for benedicere, became fashionable and was mocked by conservative Catholics as chees and chaws. 1966, Owen Chadwick, The Victorian Church, volume 1, page 283:
    • […] a quite recent notice in The Times of a Bach performance at the Albert Hall by a famous society regretted that, at this time of day, the “chees and chaws” of Italian pronunciation should be offered to an audience. 1943 June, The Gramophone, volume 21, page 18:
    • “[…] Wouldn’t you think they’d get the Latin right first. The inflexion one sometimes hears is deplorable. All chees and chaws like an ice-cream vendor out of Napoli.” 2001, Jamie O’Neill, At Swim, Two Boys, →ISBN, page 60: