chees and chaws

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃiːz ənd t͡ʃɔːz/ (see and for variants)

Noun

chees and chaws pl (plural only)

1. (dated, derogatory) The sounds made in Italianate pronunciation of Latin.
   • 1943 June, The Gramophone‎^[1], volume 21, page 18:

     […] 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.

   • 1966, Owen Chadwick, The Victorian Church, volume 1, page 283:

     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.

   • 2001, Jamie O’Neill, At Swim, Two Boys, →ISBN, page 60:

     “ […] 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.”