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Vowels are letters which represent sounds made with the vocal organs open. They are a, e, i, o, and u; w and y represent either vowel or consonant sounds.

Consonants are letters which represent sounds obstructed in utterance by the vocal organs. They are of two kinds, simple and compound. The simple consonants include all the letters of the alphabet except the vowels. The compound consonants are ch, gh, ph, sh, th, wh, zh, and ng.

Labials are letters whose oral elements are chiefly formed by the lips. They are b, p, w, and wh. M may be regarded as a nasal labial, as its sound is affected by the nose. F and v are labia-dentals.

Dentals are letters whose oral elements are chiefly formed by the teeth. They are j, s, z, ch, and sh.

Linguals are letters whose oral elements are chiefly formed by the tongue. They are d, l, r, and t. N is a nasal-lingual; y, a lingua-palatal; and th, a lingua-dental.

Palatals are letters whose oral elements are chiefly formed by the palate; they are g and k; ng combined is a nasalpalatal.

Cognate sounds are represented by letters whose oral elements are produced by the same organs, in a similar position: thus, f is a cognate of v, k of g, etc.

Alphabetic equivalents are letters, or combinations of letters, that represent the same elements or sounds: thus, i in pique is an equivalent of e.

EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

Bring me some ice; not some mice.
A big black bug bit a big black bear.

Life's fitful fever over, he rests well.

Eight great gray geese grazing gayly into Greece.

He sawed six long, slim, sleek, slender saplings for sale.

Five wise wives weave withered withes.

Some shun sunshine; do you shun sunshine?

She sells sea-shells; do you sell sea-shells?

Round the rough and rugged rocks the ragged rascals rudely ran.

Booth's youths with truths use wicked oaths.

Pluma placed a pewter platter on a pile of plates. Where is the pretty pewter platter Pluma placed upon the pile of plates?

A shot-silk sash shop.

A sure sign of sunshine.

He built him an ice house.

He built him a nice house.

My heart is awed within me.
My heart is sawed within me.
A great error often exists.
A great terror often exists.

He is content in either situation.
He is content in neither situation.
My brothers ought to owe nothing.
My brothers sought to own nothing.

He was trained in the religion of his fathers.
He was strained in the religion of his fathers.
"Sad angler; sad dangler."

LESSON III.

ACCENT AND EMPHASIS.

ACCENT.

Accent is the peculiar force or stress given to one or more syllables of a word in its pronunciation, and is marked thus, [']. There are two kinds, primary and secondary.

The primary accent is the principal accent; as, hab′it. The secondary accent is a slighter accent given to a syllable when two or more syllables in the same word are accented, as, hab'i TA' tion, where the third syllable has the primary or principal accent. The first syllable has the secondary accent. Parts of speech are often distinguished by accent alone.

EXAMPLES.

Why does your ab'sent friend absent' himself?

Did he abstract' an ab'stract of your speech from the desk?

Note the mark of ac'cent, and accent' the right syllable.

Desert' us not in the des'ert.

If that proj'ect fail, he will project' another.

My in'crease is taken to increase your wealth.
Perfume' the room with rich per'fume.

ACCENT CHANGED BY CONTRAST.

The ordinary accent of words is sometimes changed by a contrast in sense, or to express opposition of thought.

EXAMPLES.

He must in'crease, but I must de'crease.

He did not say a new ad'dition, but a new e'dition.

I said that she will sus'pect the truth of the story, not that she will ex'pect it.

He that de'scended is also the same that as'cended.

This corruptible must put on in'corruption; and this mortal must put on im'mortality.

EMPHASIS.

""Tis not enough the voice be sound and clear'

"Tis modulation' that must charm the ear.

When desperate heroes grieve with tedious moan,

And whine their sorrows in a seesaw tone,

The same soft sounds of unimpassioned woes

Can only make the yawning hearers doze.

The voice all modes of passion can express

That marks the proper word with proper stress;
But none emphatic can that speaker call,

Who lays an equal emphasis on all."

Emphasis is the peculiar force or stress of voice given to one or more words of a sentence.

To give a word emphasis, is to pronounce it in a forcible manner. No uncommon tone, however, is necessary, as words may be made emphatic by prolonging the vowel sounds, by a pause, or even by a whisper.

Emphatic words are often printed in italics; those more emphatic, in SMALL CAPITALS; and those that receive the greatest force, in CAPITALS.

Emphasis is of two kinds: absolute and relative, or antithetic.

ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS.

Where the emphasis is independent of any contrast or comparison with other words or ideas, it is called absolute emphasis.

EXAMPLES.

I know but one country. I was born an American; American; I shall die an American.

I live an

I shall sing the praises of October, as the loveliest of months. The young are slaves to novelty; the old, to custom; the middle-aged, to both; the dead, to neither.

They come to arms! TO ARMS! TO ARMS!

None but the brave, none but the BRAVE, none but the BRAVE deserve the fair.

The thunders of heaven are sometimes heard to roll in the voice of a united people.

If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop remained in my country I NEVER would lay down my arms- never, NEVER, NEVER.

The war is inevitable — and LET IT COME! I repeat it, Sir,- LET

IT COME!

I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me LIBERTY, or give me DEATH!

The combat deepens! On, ye brave,
Who rush to glory or the grave!

Rise fellow-men! our country. yet remains!
By that dread name we wave the sword on high,
And swear for her to live

with her - to die.

RELATIVE EMPHASIS.

Where there is antithesis, either expressed or implied, the emphasis is called relative.

EXAMPLES.

We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

But I am describing your condition, rather than my own.

I fear not death, and shall I then fear thee?

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