Henry James and the Linguistic Domestication of Women and Immigrants at the Turn of the Century

What is it that has so vitiated the voices of most “American” men, and still more of most “American” women? For there is no doubt that the fairer sex are in this respect the least to be admired. Among fi fty men you will fi nd perhaps ten or a dozen who will open their mouths and speak clearly and freely; but among fi fty women not more than two or three.