Page images
PDF
EPUB

As I propose to give the student a clear idea of each elementary sound, and the different ways of marking it, I shall treat of each separately. But I must premise that accurate articulation can only be learned from a teacher who is versed in the same; and such remarks as can be made in a book can only refer the intelligent pupil to his consciousness, and put him upon the way merely of verifying the true sounds.

8 Vocai Tonics. Checked (in the sound.)

(See the Table.)

These are called vocal, because the sound comes from the Vocal organs proper, unmodified by the action of the tongue, teeth, and palate, as other sounds, but only by the shape which the cavity of the mouth assumes when they are sent forth. They are called tonics, because they are the proper tones or musical sounds in language. They are called checked in the sound 44 that is, there is a positive effort made by the organs, in which the sound is checked, stopped, or snatched up abruptly when it is fully formed. This distinguishes them from another class of sounds radically the same as these, but differing in the manner in which the sound is completed. These eight sounds form a natural ascending and descending scale analogous to the musical scale, in which the volume of sound enlarges up to the ifth sound, then diminishes again, but not in the same manner. The volume of sound is determined by the cavity of the mouth, which is most enlarged and approaches most to a circle in the fourth sound; then contracts to form the sounds before and after; but this contraction is different for the sounds on the right from those on the left of the fourth sound. Thus, taking the circle to represent the fourth sound, then a series of ellipses represent the other sounds; thus:

will

any silent letters, in which words abound, and which might swell the present calculation to over a million!!

As a

-

Kancdendo

curiosity, one of these combinations is given naple justified by the analogy of the sound of k in kick, a in all, c in city, d in stopped, e in there, o in women, a in was. Not only is there scarcely a letter in the language that represents one invariable sound, but most of them stand for so many different sounds as to place upon the present twenty-six letters the labor of representing one hundred sounds! besides, twelve of these are often silent, and have no significance in combination.

Such is this embroglio and sense-confounding system of repreBentative signs! Nothing but a dry routine, a constant drilling, and stultifying repetition, can ever make a tolerable speller.

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

1

2

3

ооооо

4

5

6 7 8 These represent severally the cavities of the mouth in forming the sounds.

It is in representing this class of sounds chiefly that the irreg ularities of the present system of signs appear most conspicuous. In treating of the sounds, the order of the table is observed. All the letters that are ever used to represent each sound are given as appropriate signs of the sound.'"

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

A (final or unaccented) as in Boa, Coma, Stigma, Era, Mamma.

N. B. A feeble manner of giving this sound often confounds it with the sixth sound of the Table, or with the first and lightes sound of R.

FIFTH SOUND.

O as in Odd, On, Rob, Sob. A as in Wad, Was.

SIXTH SOUND

U as in Up, Bud, Cup, Fun. Io as in Cushion, Motion.

Ou

Eo

Rough.
Surgeon.

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Done, Colonel.
Blood.

SEVENTH SOUND.

0 (final or before an Abrupt Atonic) as in Hero, Bravo, Plato. Cocoa, Open, Opal, Cargo, Sago, Also, Ditto, Calico.

EIGHTH SOUND.

U as in Put.

Wolf.

Oo as in Good, Book.
Ui ""

Suit.

8

Ou as in Would, Could.

Vocal Tonics.-Vanishing (in the sound.)

This class of vocal tonics is radically the same as the checked; they differ merely in having a secondary and more feeble tone of the same kind as the first, which may be called the vanishing tone. It is a prolongation of the radical tone, but of a more evanescent and lighter character, into which the radical tone expires.

It will be observed by this, that the distinction between the checked and vanishing sounds, is not that of long and short. The checked are always short, and the vanishing are relatively longer; but when either come under the influence of accent and expression, this distinction is confounded and almost lost.

The checked and vanishing tonics have generally the same. representative signs, and correspond to each other.

are

N. B. In every syllable where there is a vanishing sound, there always two tonic signs, or an R, except in some monosyllables. The tonic signs are not always in juxta-position, as in Theme. The first of these represents the radical, and the second the vanishing sound. The same effect is produced by an R, which ler gthens the preceding tonic without losing its own specific sourd.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

N. B.

[ocr errors]

Uer as in Conquer.

The presence of the R seems essential to this vanishing

tonic, but does not lose its own peculiar sound.

SEVENTH SOUND.

Ou as in Pour, Four.
Oo " Door.

Oa as in Oar, Hoar.
0 Core, Sore.

I have hesitated somewhat about this, and its corresponding checked sound in the Table, (see the Table of Elementary Sounds,) as not being distinctly recognized in any analysis of the elementary sounds that I have met with. But I have not been able to reject them from the analysis that I have made of these sounds, and I think they will approve themselves to most ears who have attended to the sounds made in correct articulation. There is a tendency in this sound, except, I think, before the letter R, to vanish in the eighth sound of the Vocal Tonics, making a diphthong, as in Ode, Old, Soul, Beau, Foe, Dough, Bow, &c.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Diphthongs or Compound Vocals.

A diphthong consists of two tonic sounds following in succession, and coalescing more or less; each preserves its separat♦ Bound.

The second sound, however, has generally the character of a vanishing sound.

In the following table of diphthongs, the numbers indicate which of the tonics, in the order of the table of elementary sounds, make make up each diphthong.

[blocks in formation]

2=1

and 3. Ea, Ia.

3. 1 and 7. Eo.

Seest, Freest.

Examples: Reaction, Beatitude, Piazza. Ex.: Creole, Seraglio.

4.= 1 and 8. Ew, Ue, Ui, Eau, Iew, U. Ex.: Few, View, Mute, Dew, Beauty, Clew. The sound of Y as a subtonic is here often touched in connecting the first and second sound of this diphthong.

5.2 and 1. A, Ai, Ay, Ey, Ei, Ea. Ex.: Ale, Aim, Lay, Prey, Neigh, Yea, May.

6.4 and 1. I, Ai, Ey, Uy, Ie, Y, Ey. Ex.: I, My, Eye, Nalvete, Buy, Pie, Guile, Ley.

4 and 8. Ou, Ow.

Ex.: Thou, Loud, Now, Cow, Stout.
Ex.: Oil, Void, Coy, Joy, Boy.

7.4

8.5 and 1.

Oi and Oy.

9.7 and 1.

Oi, Owi, Ewi.

Ex.: Going, Throwing, Sewing.

10.7 and 2.

=

Oe, Owe. Ex.: Poet, Lowell, Coëxist.

11. 7 and 8. Ow, Oe, Ou, O, Eau, Oa, Ew. Ex.: Though, Blow, Dough, Foe, Ode, Old, Beau, Sew, So, No, Sow.

12.8 and 1.

Oi, Ui, Ooi.

Ex.: Doing, Ruin, Cooing.

[blocks in formation]

The chief difficulties of correct and forcible articulation are connected with the enunciation of this class of sounds. Indeed it has been said, "Take care of your consonants, and the vowels will take care of themselves." Too much attention, therefore. cannot be paid to the clear apprehension and familiar practice of this class of elementary sounds. All the symbols used to

mark the sound are given.

« PreviousContinue »