THE NATIONAL FIFTH PART I. ELOCUTION. ELOCUTION is the delivery of extemporaneous or written composition. It embraces ORTHOEPY and EXPRESSION. We say of elocution, it is good or bad; clear, fluent, or melodious; though it is often used as nearly synonymous with eloquence, the act of expressing thoughts with elegance and beauty. CHAPTER I. . ORTHOEPY. ORTHOEPY is the art of correct pronunciation. It embraces ARTICULATION, SYLLABICATION, and ACCENT. SECTION I.-ARTICULATION. DEFINITIONS. 1. ARTICULATION is the distinct utterance of the Oral Elements, in syllables and words. 2. ORAL ELEMENTS are the sounds that, uttered separately or in combination, form syllables and words. 3. ELEMENTS ARE PRODUCED by different positions of the organs of speech, in connection with the voice and the breath. 4. THE PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF SPEECH are the lips, teeth, tongue, and palate. 5. VOICE IS PRODUCED by the action of the breath upon the larynx.1 6. ELEMENTS ARE DIVIDED into three classes: eighteen Tonics, fifteen Subtonics, and ten Atonics. 7. TONICS are pure tones produced by the voice, with but slight use of the organs of speech. 8. SUBTONICS are tones produced by the voice, modified by the organs of speech. 9. ATONICS are mere breathings, modified by the organs of speech. 10. VOWELS are the letters that usually represent the Tonic elements, and form syllables by themselves. They are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y. 11. A DIPHTHONG is the union of two vowels in one syllable; as, oi in oil, ou in our. 12. A DIGRAPHI, or improper diphthong, is the union of two vowels in a syllable, one of which is silent; as, oa in loaf. 13. A TRIPHTHONG is the union of three vowels in one syllable; as, eau in beau, ieu in adieu. 14. CONSONANTS are the letters that usually represent either Subtonic or Atonic elements. They are of two kinds, single letters and combined, viz.: b, c, d, f, g, h j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t. v, w, x, y, z; fh Subtonic, th Atonic, ch, sh, wh, ng. The term Consonant, literally meaning sounding with, is applied to these letters and combinations because they are rarely used in words without having a vowel connected with them in the same syllable, although their elements may be uttered separately, and without the aid of a vowel. 15. COGNATES are letters whose elements are produced by the same organs, in a similar manner; thus, f is a cognate of v; k of g, &c. The larynx is the upper part of the trachea, or windpipe. 16. ALPHABETIC EQUIVALENTS are letters, or combinations of letters, that represent the same elements, or sounds; thus, i is an equivalent of e, in pique. ORAL ELEMENTS. 1. In sounding the tonics, the organs should be fully opened, and the stream of sound from the throat should be thrown, as much as possible, directly upward against the roof of the mouth. These elements should open with an abrupt and explosive force, and then diminish gradually and equably to the end. 2. In producing the subtonic and atonic clements, it is important to press the organs upon each other with great firmness and tension; to throw the breath upon them with force; and to prolong the sound sufficiently to give it a full impression on the ear. 3. In addition to the observance of the above directions, pu pils should be required to assume an erect posture, either standing or seated, and to keep a full supply of air in the lungs, while uttering the elemental sounds, as arranged in the following 1 First require the pupils to utter an element by itself, then to pronounce distinctly the words that follow, uttering the element after each word-thus: age, à; åte, à: åt, å; lånd, å, &c. Exercise the class upon the above table, till each pupil can utter consecutively all the Oral elements. The attention of the class should be called to the fact that the first element, or sound, represented by each of the vowels, is usually indicated by a horizontal line placed over the letter, and the second sound by a curved line. After each pupil can utter correctly all the elements as arranged in the table, numerous class exercises may be formed by prefixing or affixing Subtonics or Atonics to the Tonics, in the following order: Bả, bả, bả, bá, bả, bã; bẻ, bẻ, bẻ; bỉ, bí; bồ, bồ, bỏ; bủ, tủ, bů; bou: åb, åb, åb, áb, &c. These exercises will be found of great value, to improve the organs of speech and the voice, as well as to familiarize the pupil with different combinations of sounds. 2 The fifth element, or sound, represented by a, is its first or Alphabetic Bound, modified or softened by r. First require the pupil to pronounce distinctly the word containing the Atonic element, then the Subtonic Cognate, uttering the element after each word—thus: lip, p; orb, b, &c. The attention of the pupil should be called to the fact that Cognates are produced by the same organs, in a similar manner, and only differ in one being an undertone, and the other a whisper. 'The sixth element represented by a, is a sound intermediate between a, as heard in at, ash, and a, as in arm, art. The third element represented by e, is e as heard in end, modified of softened by r. It is also represented by i, o, u, and y; as in bird, word, burn, myrrh. 'R may be trilled before a vowel. In that case, the tip of the tongue is made rapidly to vibrate. |