ELEMENTARY SOUNDS.

3. Number and Classes.

1. An elementary sound is the simplest sound of the language; as, the sound of a, e; bor k.

2. The English language contains about forty elementary sounds.

3. These sounds are divided into three classes-vocals, subvocals, and aspirates.

4. The vocals consist of pure tone only. They are the sounds of a, e, i, o, u, ou; as, in a-le, f-a-r, b-a-ll, h-a-t, m-e, m-e-t, f-i-ne, p-i-n, g-o-ld, m-o-ve, n-o-t, m-u-te, p-u-ll, c-u-p, f-ou-nd.

REMARK.-The letters are but imperfect guides to these sounds. It is better therefore to disregard them wholly in the exercises on elementary sounds, and direct the attention exclusively to the sounds themselves.

5. The subvocals consist of tone united with breath. They are the sounds of b, d, g, j, l, m, n, ng, r, th, v, w, z, z (zh), y; as, in b-at, d-og, g-o, j-oy, l-ot, m-an, n-o, so-ng, ba-r, th-is, v-at, w-in, z-one, a-z-ure, y-es.

6. The aspirates consist of pure breath only. They are the sounds of f, h, k, p, s, t, th, sh, ch, wh; as, in faith, h-ome, ar-k, p-ine, s-un, t-ake, th-ink, sh-one, ch-ur-l, wh-en.

7. When closely examined, some of the sounds here represented as elementary, as, for example, i in isle (a in far and e in me), ou in found (a in all and oo in fool), j in joy (dzh), ch in church (tsh), may be resolved into simpler sounds, yet, for practical purposes, they may be regarded as elementary.

4. Classes of Vocals.

1. Vocals are divided into long and short.

2. The long sound is one that can be protracted at pleasure; as in may. ay, bee

ee.

3. The short sound is one that is uttered with an explosive effort; as in pin, pen, hat, sit.

4. The long and short vocals are formed with the same position of the organs. Thus, a in hat is properly the short sound of a in far, not a in hate; while e in met is the short sound of a in hate. The i in pin is the short sound of ee in seen. The o in not is the short sound of o in nor, not o in note. The u in but is the short sound of u in fur, not u in mute.

Elementary Sounds. Vocals, long and short.

5. Classes of Subvocals and Aspirates.

1. The subvocals and aspirates are divided in a similar manner, into continuous and explosive.

2. The continuous are capable of prolongation.

They are the sounds of (subvocals) l, m, n, ng, r, th, v, w, y, z, zh; as, in ba-ll, ca-m-e, rai-n, so-ng, ca-r, ba-th-e, la-v-e, w-o, y-es, ma-z-e, a-z-ure; (aspirates), f, h, 8, th, sh, wh, in lea-f, h-eat, thi-s, hea-th, lea-sh, wh-y.

3. The explosive are incapable of prolongation.

They are the sounds of (subvocals) b, d, g, j; as, in ca-b, be-d, do-g, j-ob; (aspirates), p, t, k, ch in ti-p, pi-t, k-in, lur-ch.

4. The subvocals, represented by w and y, are nearly allied to the vocals in oo-ze and m-ee-t. They may be called semi-vocals.

5. The aspirates represented by wh, and h, are properly breathings. The sound of h is formed with an open position of the organs; that of wh with the lips contracted nearly as in the sound of w.

6. Of the remaining subvocals, eight have this remarkable property, that they are formed with the same position of the organs as an equal number of aspirates, giving rise to eight pairs, b-p, d-t, g-k, j-ch, th-th, v-f, z-s, zh-sh, called correlatives.

7. The first four pairs are explosive, the others are continuous.

8. The subvocals, represented by l, m, n, ng and r, have no corresponding aspirates.

9. The eight pairs, or correlatives, are called mutes; the others, liquids. 10. The following points of difference between a mute and a liquid may be noted :—

(a) All the liquids are subvocals,—while half of the mutes are aspirates; (b) The liquids are all continuous,—while half of the mutes are explosive; (c) Every continuous subvocal mute has a rough, buzzing sound; the liquids have a smooth, flowing sound;

(d) A mute may unite with a mute, but it must be a subvocal with a subvocal, or an aspirate with an aspirate. (See 13, 2.) A liquid may unite with a liquid, as in arm, barn; or with a mute either subvocal or aspirate, as in carp, card, hart, hard.

REMARK.-It must not be understood, however, that any liquid will combine with any other liquid, or that any liquid will combine with any mute. Thus, the sounds of mn will not coalesce; the sound of 7 seldom unites with that of m or n. The sound of m does not readily unite with that of k; nor does the sound of n with that of p.

11. The mutes and liquids have certain affinities for each other, which arise mainly from a similarity in the position of the organs with

Subvocals and Aspirates, continuous and explosive. Semi-vocals. Breathings. Correlatives. Mutes. Liquids.

which they are produced. Thus, the sound of m most readily unites with the sound of p, as in hemp, lamp; the sound of n unites most readily with t, d, or aspirate th, as in sent, end, tenth; also, ng with th, as in strength, length; the sounds of l and r readily unite with nearly all the mutes, as in elf, melt, weld, belch, orb, hearth, ark, large.

1. The teacher, uttering the sound of a in name, says,-"How many heard my voice?" Let the class give the same. The teacher, again, gives the sound of ƒ in fine (not the name eff, but the sound alone). "Do you hear a voice sound or a whispering sound ?" The class utter the sound. Adding a slight vocality to the sound of f, with the organs in the same position, he gives the sound of v. "How many hear any voice sound now?" Returning to the sound of ƒ,—“Do you now hear any voice sound? or only a whispering or breath sound?" Giving the sound of o in note, "What sound do you hear now?" In the same manner treat the other elementary sounds.

2. Tell by the sound which letters in the following promiscuous examples represent VOCALS, which SUBVOCALS, and which ASPIRATES:

And, great, made, fame, sad, mete, gave, life, voice, six, zebra, full, bridge, sup, thin, thought, thine, when, whiffle, sent, gone, white, lone, fidget, cup, farm, wine, yes, so, knit, type, book, crow, met, line, pin, hat, harp, jug, king, long, nut, move, lot, queer, rind, street, sing, mute, suit, vine, sire, exist, sift, form, risk, mart, park, plum.

Mutes and Liquids. Table of Elementary Sounds.

3. In the preceding examples tell which of the vocals are LONG and which SHORT; tell which of the subvocals and aspirates are CONTINUOUS and which EXPLOSIVE. Select three words having two aspirate sounds united; two having two subvocal mutes; five having a liquid and a subvocal mute; five having a liquid and an aspirate; and two having two liquids.

LETTERS.

8. The Alphabet.

1. A letter is a character used to represent an elementary sound.

2. The English alphabet contains twenty-six letters: A, a; B, b; C, c; D, d; E, e; F, f; G, g; H, h; I, i; J, j; K, k; L, 1; M, m; N, n; O, o; P, p; Q, q; R, r; S, s; T, t; U, u; V, v; W, w; X, x; Y, y ; Z, z.

3. Letters cannot be too carefully distinguished from elementary sounds. The letter is an arbitrary mark addressed to the eye; an clementary sound is always addressed to the ear.

9. Classes of Letters.

1. Letters are divided,

(a.) In respect to their forms, into capitals and small letters.

(b.) In respect to the sounds they represent, into vowels and conso

nants.

(c.) In respect to their application to these sounds, into permanent, variable, and silent.

2. Capitals are used for the sake of distinction; small letters constitute the principal part of every composition. (See 29).

3. The various styles of letters are the Roman, the Italic, Old English, and Script.

4. Letters of the same style differ in size, giving rise to the following distinctions::

Letters. Capitals. Small Letters. Styles, and Sizes.

5. Those letters which represent vocals are called vowels. They are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes w and y.

6. W and Y are consonants when they precede a vowel heard in the same syllable; as, wine, twine, yes, yet. In all other situations they are vowels; as, rye, grew.

NOTE.-I, when it represents the sound of y, as in al-ien, min-ion, is to be considered as a consonant.

7. Those letters which represent subvocals and aspirates, are called consonants.

8. The consonants, are b, d, g, l, m, n, r, v, z (subvocal), and ƒ, h, k, c, q, p, t, s (aspirates); x is a subvocal when it is equivalent to gs, an aspirate when it is equivalent to ks.

9. When a letter is invariably applied to the same sound, it is said to be permanent; as, m, n, p, t.

10. When a letter represents several different sounds, it is said to be variable; as, a in name, far, fat, hall, care, what, liar.

11. When a letter stands for no sound, it is said to be silent; as, g in gnat. 12. When several variable letters, or combinations of letters, represent the same sound, they are called equivalents; as, n-ame, g-ay, th-ey. Thus, a may be equivalent to ai, ay, ei, ey, ao, au, as in vain, pay, rein, prey, gaol, gauge.

13. The following table embraces most of the equivalents :

a=

a=

:

ai, ay, ei, ey, ao, au, ue, in vain, pay, rein, prey, gaol, gauge, bouquet. e, ei, ai, ea, in there, their, fair, bear.

aw, oa, o, au, ou, awe, in law, broad, for, applaud, bought, awe. eee, ey, ea, ie, ei, i, in tree, key, flea, brief, conceive, fatigue.

e

i

=

=

a, u, ai, ay, ea, ci, eo, in many, bury, again, says, head, heifer, feoff.

y, ey, ie, uy, ai, ei, ui, ye, in by, eye, die, buy, aisle, height, guide, lye. o, u, y, ie, ee, ui, in women, busy, hymn, sieve, been, guilt.

ooo, owe, oa, oe, ow, ou, ew, eau, in door, owe, goat, roe, flow, dough, sew, beau.

0 = a, in what.

u = in ew, ue, iew, ieu, eau, eu, ui, ou, in flew, hue, view, adieu, beauty, deuce, sluice, you.

u = o, oo, ou, in wolf, wool, would.

u = o, e, i, y, oe, ou, in ton, her, sir, myrrh, does, touch.

ou = ow, in now.

oy, in joy.

z = c, 8, x, in sacrifice, was, Xerxes.

ph, v, in Philip, of.

9,

in joy.

k8, 98, z, in wax, example, Xerxes.

8, ch, ce, ci, si, ti, in sure, chaise, ocean, gracious, session, partial.
te in righteous.

Vowels. Consonants. Permanent. Variable. Silent. Equivalents.