CONTENTS.
This table is designed for an exercise upon the vowel elements. These should be pronounced alone as well as in combination with the words given as examples. Let the class first pronounce the table in order, thus:
A long, Fate, ā; A short, Fat, ă, &c.; then pronounce the column of elements alone.
This table should be treated by the class in the same manner as the table of vowel sounds. The sound of a consonant may be ascertained by pronouncing a word containing it in a slow and forcible manner.
Vocal Consonantsare those uttered with a slight degree of vocality, but less than that of a vowel. They are formed with a vibration of the vocal chords.
Aspirate Consonantsare those in which the pure breath alone is heard. They are formed without any vibration of the vocal chords.
Q has the sound ofk, and is always followed byu, which, in this position, commonly has the sound ofw, but is sometimes silent.
WH is an aspiratedw, pronounced as if writtenhw.
[1]Sometimes called Subvocals, or Subtonics.[2]H sounded before a vowel, is an expulsion of the breath after the organs are in a position to sound the vowel.
[1]Sometimes called Subvocals, or Subtonics.
[1]Sometimes called Subvocals, or Subtonics.
[2]H sounded before a vowel, is an expulsion of the breath after the organs are in a position to sound the vowel.
[2]H sounded before a vowel, is an expulsion of the breath after the organs are in a position to sound the vowel.
In pronouncing the words in the following exercises, special attention should be given to the precise sound of the letters italicized. The sounds of the letters in Italics are the same as the sound of the vowel at the head of the paragraph.
Exercises upon tables of words like the following are valuable, not only for developing vocal power, but as one of the best methods of correcting habitual errors in pronunciation.
a, long, as infāte.—Fame, blame, sail, cambric, nature,ancient, patron, matron.
a, short, as in făt.—Bat, mat, bad, had, can, cannon, sand, fancy, marry, have.
a, Italian, as in fär.—Are, bar, star, guitar, mart, alarm, parchment, father, heart, hearth, guard, daunt, haunt.
a, broad, as infâll; ando, as innör.—Ball, call, tall, nor, form, storm, corn, salt,ought, fought, nought.
a, as infàre; ande, as inthêre.—Dare, rare, pair,air, share, snare, where, heir, stare, pare.
a, as infā̇st.—Blast, chance, lance, trance, branch, grasp, graft, grant, grass, pass, class.
e, long, as inmēte; andi, as inmarîne.—Be, she, theme, scene, marine, pique, key, fiend, grieve, treaty, Cæsar, critique, relief, belief, leaf, quay, lenient, inherent.
e, short, as inmĕt.—Bed, bread, debt,engine, tepid, get, yes, chest,egg, kettle.
i, long, as inpīne; andy, as inbȳ.—Smile, mile, vine, fly, type, defy, sky, kind, flight, ally, apply, tiny.
i, short, as inpĭn; andy, as inmy̆th.—Din, ring, whip, skip, lyric, servile, agile, cygnet, cynic, cylinder.
o, long, as innōte.—Home, dome, glory, vocal, more, gore.
o, short, as innŏt.—Mob, rob, sob, dot, got.
o, long and close, as inmôve; andu, as inrū̇le.—Prove, mood, lose, rule, true, ruin, druid, moon, root.
u, long, as intūbe; andew, as innew̄.—Tune, fuse, cure, lure, duty, curate, few, pew.
u, short, as intŭb; ando, as insō̇n.—Just, must, tun, fun, hug, rug, dove, does, rough, son, ton.
u, middle, as infûll.—Bush, push, butcher, cushion, puss.
u, short and obtuse, as infür;e, as inhër;i, as infïr; andy, as inmÿrrh.—Burn, murmur, further, herd, fern, person, merge, mercy, sir, bird, virtue, dirk, dirt, mirth, myrrh, myrtle, syrtis.
oi, as invöĭce; andoy, as inböy̆.—Boil, coil, coy, toy, void, coin, joint, joist, poise, noise, employ, rejoice, avoid, appoint, embroil, foible,oyster.
ou, as insöûnd; andow, as innöŵ.—Pound, proud, brown, vow, endow, noun, town, doubt, devout, plough, trout, ground, shout, vowel, thou, around.