3. I knew when seven justices could not make up a quarrel; but when the parties met themselves, one of them thought but of an if; as, If you said sô, then I said sô; O ho! did you say sô? So they shook hands and were sworn brothers. REMARKS.—In the first example, the emphasis is that of contrast. The queen had poisoned her husband, of which she incorrectly supposed her son ignorant, and she blames him for treating his father-in-law with disrespect. In his reply, Hamlet contrasts her deep crime with his own slight offense, and the circumflex upon "yôu' becomes proper. In the second example the emphasis is ironical. The Spaniards pretended that they would protect the Peruvians if they would submit to them, whereas it was evident that they merely desired to plunder and destroy them. Thus their protection is ironically called "sûch protection as vultures give to lâmbs," etc. In the third example, the word "so" is used hypothetically; that is, it implies a condition or supposition. It will be observed that the rising circumflex is used in the first "so," and the falling, in the second, because the first "so" must end with the rising inflection and the second with the falling inflection according to previous rules. MONOTONE. When no word in a sentence receives an inflection, it is said to be read in a monotone; that is, in nearly the same tone throughout. This uniformity of tone is occasionally adopted, and is fitted to express solemnity or sublimity of idea, and sometimes intensity of feeling. It is used, also, when the whole sentence or phrase is emphatic. In books of elocution, when it is marked at all, it is generally marked thus (—), as in the lines following. EXAMPLES. Hence! loathed melancholy! Where brooding darkness spreads her jealous wings, And the night raven sings; There, under ebon shades and low-browed rocks, As ragged as thy locks, In deep Cimmerian darkness ever dwell. IV. ACCENT. In every word which contains more than one syllable, one of the syllables is pronounced with a somewhat greater stress of voice than the others. This syllable is said to be accented. The accented syllable is distinguished by this mark ('), the same which is used in inflections. REMARK.-In most cases custom is the only guide for placing the accent on one syllable rather than another. Sometimes, however, the same word is differently accented in order to mark its different meanings. EXAMPLES. Con'jure, to practice enchantments. Gallant, brave. August, a month. Con-jure, to entreat. REMARK.—A number of words, used sometimes as one part of speech, and sometimes as another, vary their accents irregularly. EXAMPLES. Pres'ent, the noun. Com'pact, the noun. { } Pre-sent', the verb. J Com-pact', the adjective. In words of more than two syllables there is often a second accent given, but more slight than the principal one, and this is called the secondary accent; as, car'a-van", rep"ar-tee', where the principal accent is marked (), and the secondary ("); so, also, this accent is obvious in nav"i-ga'tion, com" pre-hen'sion, plau"si-bil'i-ty, etc. The whole subject, however, properly belongs to dictionaries and spelling-books. V. EMPHASIS. A word is said to be emphasized when it is uttered with a greater stress of voice than the other words with which it is connected. REMARK 1.-The object of emphasis is to attract particular attention to the word upon which it is placed, indicating that the idea to be conveyed depends very much upon that word. This object, as just stated, is generally accomplished by increasing the force of utterance, but sometimes, also, by a change in the inflection, the use of the monotone, by pause, or by uttering the words in a very low key. Emphatic words are often denoted by italics, and a still stronger emphasis by SMALL CAPITALS or CAPITALS, according to the degree of emphasis desired. REMARK 2.-Emphasis constitutes the most important feature in reading and speaking, and, properly applied, gives life and character to language. Accent, inflection, and indeed every thing yields to emphasis. REMARK 3.-In the following examples it will be seen that accent is governed by it. EXAMPLES. What is done, can not be undone. There is a difference between giving and forgiving. He that descended is the same that ascended. Some appear to make very little difference between decency and indecency, morality and immorality, religion and irreligion. REMARK 4.-There is no better illustration of the nature and importance of emphasis than the following examples. It will be observed that the meaning and proper answer of the question vary with each change of the emphasis. EXAMPLES. QUESTIONS. Did you walk into the city yesterday? Did you walk into the city yesterday? Did you walk into the city yesterday? country. ANSWERS. No, my brother went. No, I went into the Did you walk into the city yesterday? No, I went the day before. ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS. Sometimes a word is emphasized simply to indicate the importance of the idea. This is called absolute emphasis. EXAMPLES. To arms! they come! the Greek! the Greek! Days, months, years, and ages shall circle away. REMARK.-In instances like the last, it is sometimes called the emphasis of specification. RELATIVE EMPHASIS. Words are often emphasized in order to exhibit the idea they express as compared or contrasted with some other idea. This is called relative emphasis. EXAMPLES. A friend can not be known in prosperity: an enemy can not be hidden in adversity. It is much better to be injured than to injure. REMARK.-In many instances one part only of the antithesis is expressed, the corresponding idea being understood; as, A friendly eye would never see such faults. Here the unfriendly eye is understood. King Henry exclaims, while vainly endeavoring to compose himself to rest, "How many thousand of my poorest subjects Are at this hour asleep!" Here the emphatic words thousands, subjects, and asleep are contrasted in idea with their opposites, and if the contrasted ideas were expressed it might be in this way: While I alone, their sovereign, am doomed to wakefulness. EMPHATIC PHRASE. Sometimes several words in succession are emphasized, forming what is called an emphatic phrase. EXAMPLES. Shall I, the conqueror of Spain and Gaul, and not only of the Alpine nations but of the Alps themselves shall I compare myself with this HALF-YEAR-CAPTAIN ? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the LAST TEN YEARS. And if thou said'st I am not peer To any lord in Scotland here, EMPHATIC PAUSE. The emphatic expression of a sentence often requires a pause where the grammatical construction authorizes none. This is sometimes called the rhetorical pause. Such pauses occur chiefly before or after an emphatic word or phrase, and sometimes both before and after it. EXAMPLES. Rise-fellow men! our country-yet remains! By that dread name we wave the sword on high, But most-by numbers judge the poet's song: He said; then full before their sight Produced the beast, and lo!-'twas white. |