ERNESTO SABATO AND LUIS MARÍA ANSON

Yesterday I was listening to a man who, according to himself, speaks 50-some languages. He mentioned that he had been reading Ernesto Sabato, the well-known Argentinian author, with a student, and I was struck by how he pronounced the name. He stressed the second sílable, Sabáto, instead of Sábato, despite the written accent's absence. I had always pronounced this surname as stressed on the first syllable. How could that be? Had I been mispronouncing the name all along? True enough, the writer´s name has no written accent on his books. I had never noticed. Listening to interviews with the writer, in Argentina, where he is addressed as Sábato always, I have calmed down. The author of El tunel, chose to skip the accent. A Spanish writer and scholar, Luis María Anson also chose not to use the written accent in his name. A matter of idiosyncratic choice, but we are all aware of it. However, the linguist Alexander Argüelles ignores this, much to his detriment I think. Mystery solved.