صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

In the above sounds we may observe the

following similarities.

[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][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]

A is broad in most words before ld, lk, ll, and it; as, bald, walk, wall, altar: it has likewise the broad sound, for the most part, between and r, or t; as, war, water.

A is narrow in all words or syllables that are lengthened by the final e; as, babe, blade, fete,

relate: it is likewise narrow in all words compounded with ation; as, salvation, relation. In most other words the middle sound prevails.

E.

E is for the most part narrow when it ends a word; as, epitome, apostrophe, me, he, she, be; as likewise in all words compounded with be; as, below, bespeak.

E has most commonly the middle sound when it ends a syllable, or is no joined in pronunciation to the following consonants; as, lover, fever, elope, escape.

When E is joined to the following consonants, it is generally pronounced broader; as, fell, let, bend.

I.

I is always broad when the syllable in which it occurs is made long by the final e; as, pine, bite, lime. Also generally when it goes before gh, gn, ld, mb, and nd; as, sight, sign, mild, climb, find.

The middle sound of the I is used before rd; as, bird, third, and occurs but seldom.

I is narrow when pronounced short with a following consonant; as, pin, sin, mill, till.

0.

O has the second middle sound when the syl. lable in which it stands is lengthened by the finale; as, toe, doe, lobe, robe. For the other sounds of this letter, perhaps no certain rules can be given.

U.

The broad sound of the U is used when joined in pronunciation to the following consonant; as, unto, upon, gun, pun.

The middle sound prevails in those words that are lengthened by the final e; as, mule, mute, refuse, abuse.

U is narrow when it comes after r, and is pronounced long, or not immediately joined to the following consonant; as, rude, ruby, ruin.

Y.

Y, at the end of a word of one syllable, or such as are accented on the last syllable, is broad; as, sky, sly, 'try, comply: but in the end of words of more than one syllable, and not accented on the last, it is generally narrow; as, possibly, folly, poverty.

All vowels, when pronounced short and negligently with a following consonant, in a sylla,

ble not accented, have nearly the same sound; as, altar, alter, manor, murmur, satyr.

OF DIPHTHONGS.*

When two vowels meet in the same syllable, they make what is called a diphthong.

There are no less than twenty diphthongs in the English language: which with their sounds. are expressed in the following tables:

[blocks in formation]

* From dis, twice, phthongos, a sound.

[blocks in formation]

To these we may add qe and oe, which are used only in words derived from the Latin and Greek; as, Caesar, Phabe, and chiefly re tained in proper names.

When three vowels meet together in a syl lable, they make a triphthong; as,

[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]

Unless y at the beginning of syllables be a con sonant, which some authors will not allow it to be in any case whatsoever.

Here we may observe, that though the vowels and diphthongs, and the words in which their different sounds occur, are so numerous, yet perhaps there are not many more than a dozen full and distinct vowel sounds in the English language; which, I think, will appear to any

« السابقةمتابعة »