File under “Setterah, Et”: Yul Brynner couldn’t speak Latin. Or Thai, for that matter.
I spend an inordinate amount of time berating Latin abbreviations in English (weep for me, as it’s a tough linguistic life) starting on page 149, though I admit that I backed off from my tirade in two cases involving Yul Brynner and The Turtles. I mention that here only to force people who have purchased this book to jump to the pages in question, or more important, to force people who have not purchased it to stop standing in the aisle blocking those who might be attracted to it, and head over to the checkout to plunk down some cash. Thank you. As I said, it’s a tough linguistic life.
But back on point: In that specific elsewhere of this book, Yul inspired me to back off my tirade against Latin abbreviations because of his portrayal of the King of Siam in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and J. 5 At points in the play, the King intoned, “Et setterah, et setterah, et setterah,” etc.
Now, if you’re going to say etc. aloud without benefit of debonair baldness, Broadway costumes, or a snappy original-cast soundtrack album in the offing, pronounce it correctly. Saying “Et-setra” will do fine. Saying “And so on,” will do finer, as it’s English, while retaining the rhythm and implication you seek. Not the implication that Rodgers and Hammerstein sought, but for that we will forgive them. As with everything writing, use the tools at hand to best effect. Et setterah, et setterah, et setterah.