Chapter II

PRONUNCIATION

We are judged by our speech. If we clip syllables, run words together, or pronounce them incorrectly, we shall merit the criticism of being careless or even ignorant. Yet clear enunciation and correct pronunciation are sometimes difficult. We learn most words by hearing others say them, and, if we do not hear the true values given to the different syllables, we shall find it hard to distinguish the correct from the incorrect forms. Children whose parents speak a foreign language usually have to watch their speech with especial care; Germans, for example, find difficulty in saying th and Irish people in saying oi as in oil. The exercises in this chapter are given for the purpose of correcting such habits. The words in the exercises should be pronounced repeatedly, until the correct forms are instinctive.

Train the ear to hear the difference between sounds, as in just and in jest. Don't slide over the final consonant in such words as going and reading. Watch words containing wh. The dictionary tells us that where was originally written hwar, the h coming before the w; and we still pronounce it so, although we write the w before the h. The word whether is of the same kind. The dictionary tells us that it was first spelled hweder. Such words should be carefully noted and their pronunciation practiced.

Then there is the habit of slurring syllables. We may understand what is meant by the expression "C'm' on" or "Waja say?", but most of us would prefer not to be included in the class of people who use either. Correct speech cannot be mastered without an effort.

In the following exercises watch every vowel and every consonant so that you may give each one its full value.

Exercise 10—Diacritical Marks

Although an a is always written a, it is not always given the same quality or length of sound. When we discover a new word, it is important that we know exactly the quality to give each of the vowels in it. For this purpose diacritical marks have been invented. They are illustrated in the following list from Webster's International Dictionary.

ā as in āte, fāte, lāb´or

[+a]""sen´[+a]te, del´ic[+a]te, [+a]e´rial

â""câre, shâre, pâr´ent

ă""ăm, ădd, răn´dom

ä""ärm, fär, fä´ther

ȧ""ȧsk, grȧss, pȧss, dȧnce

a̠""fi´na̠l, in´fa̠nt, guid´ānce

a̤""a̤ll, a̤we, swa̤rm, ta̤lk

ē""ēve, mēte, serēne´

[+e]""[+e]vent´, d[+e]pend´, soci´[+e]ty

ĕ""ĕnd, mĕt, ĕxcuse´, ĕfface´

ẽ""fẽrn, hẽr, ẽr´mine, ev´ẽr

e""re´cent, de´cency, pru´dence

ī""īce, tīme, sīght, inspīre´

[+i]""[+i]dea´, tr[+i]bu´nal, b[+i]ol´ogy

ĭ""ĭll, pĭn, pĭt´y, admĭt´

ō""ōld, nōte, ō´ver, prōpose´

[+o]""[+o]bey´, t[+o]bac´co, sor´r[+o]w

ô""ôrb, lôrd, ôr´der, abhôr´

ŏ""ŏdd, nŏt, tŏr´rid, ŏccur´

ū""ūse, pūre, dū´ty, assūme´

[+u]""[+u]nite´, ac´t[+u]ate, ed[+u]ca´tion

ṳ""rṳde, rṳ´mor, intrṳde´

ụ""fụll, pụt, fụlfill´

ŭ""ŭp, tŭb, stŭd´y

û""ûrn, fûr, concûr´

y̆""pit´y̆, in´jury̆, divin´ity̆

o͞o""fo͞ol, fo͞od, mo͞on

o͝o""fo͝ot, wo͝ol, bo͝ok

ou""out, thou, devour´

oi""oil, noi´sy, avoid´

ā is called long a, and is marked with the macron

ă is called short a, and is marked with the breve

â is called caret a, and is marked with the caret

ä is called Italian a, and is marked with the diaeresis

ȧ is called short Italian a, and is marked with the dot

ẽ is called tilde e, and is marked with the tilde or wave

Exercise 11—Vowels

Of the twenty-six letters in the alphabet, how many are vowels? Name them. What are the other letters called?

Compare the ă in hat and the ā in hate. Which has more nearly the sound of a in the alphabet? This is called the natural or long sound of the vowel. The other is called the short sound.

Drop the e from hate. Explain the result.

Name other monosyllables ending in e and containing the long a sound.

Explain the difference in pronunciation between Pete, pet, ripe, rip, hope, hop, cube, cub.

Find other monosyllables ending in e and containing a long vowel that becomes short if the e is dropped.

Monosyllables ending in silent e usually contain a long vowel sound, which becomes short when the final e is dropped.

Exercise 12

Pronounce carefully the following words containing the short Italian a:

advȧnceclȧsslȧnceplȧster

advȧntage contrȧst lȧstpȧstor

ȧfterenchȧntmȧskprȧnce

bȧsketFrȧncemȧsterrȧfter

brȧnchglȧncemȧstiff shȧft

brȧssglȧsspȧsssurpȧss

chȧffgrȧsspȧsttȧsk

Exercise 13

Pronounce the following carefully, noting each a that is marked:

hälfideȧcälmaudācious

pȧthcȧn'tāpricotȧghȧst

ȧskcătchmȧdrăs ălgebrȧ

fäther v[+a]cātion ăgileforbăde

dȧnceextrȧcȧsttrȧnce

lȧsscȧsketgrȧntāviātion

Exercise 14

Pronounce the vowel o in the following very carefully. Don't give the sound feller or fella when you mean fellow.

fellowswallowtheoryborrow

potatofollowpositionheroism

windoworiginalfactorydonkey

pillowevaporate ivorymemory

chocolate mosquitolicorice oriental

Exercise 15

The vowel u needs particular attention. When it is long, it is sounded naturally, as it is in the alphabet. Do not say redooce for reduce.

reducepictureeducatefigure

producestupidjudicialduty

conducivestudentcalculateaccumulate

enduregenuinecuriosityTuesday

durationinduceregularparticular

singularavenuetuneinstitute

nutriment constitution culinaryJanuary

revenueintroduceopportunity manufacture

Exercise 16

Using diacritical marks indicate the value of the vowels in the following. Try marking them without first consulting a dictionary. After you have marked them, compare your markings with those used in a dictionary.

pupildifferent diacritical gigantic

alphabet severalradiatinggymnasium

naturalletterWyomingsystem

resulterasertypicalmerchant

Exercise 17

Pronounce carefully, noting that in each word at least one consonant is silent, and sometimes a vowel as well. Draw an oblique line through the silent letter or letters in each.

throughchastenswordisland

although oftenfastendaughter

wrongsoftencalfmight

yachtsubtlehastenbouquet

gnawalmondnaughtyhonest

psalmglistenthumbpalm

whistlesalveshouldknack

salmonchestnut knowledge castle

answerfolkslistenthigh

knotrightdebthonor

Exercise 18

Pronounce the following, paying particular attention to the vowels. Distinguish between the meanings of the words in each group.

acceptbileleastprevision

exceptboillestprovision

affectcarolelevenpoor

effectcoralleavenpure

addition descent neitherradish

editiondissentnetherreddish

assayemergepasture sentry

essayimmerge pastorcentury

baronFrancispillarsit

barrenFrancespillowset

beenjestpointwrench

beanjustpintrinse

gist

Exercise 19

Enunciate the consonant sounds carefully in the following. Distinguish between the meanings of the words in each group.

actsclosetreatiesrows

axclothestreatiserouse

advice crossed princesrues

adviseacrossprincess ruse

almsformerlyprinceeither

elmsformally printsether

bodicegrayspricerunning

bodiesgraceprizeruin

ceaseloserecentwalking

seizelooseresentwalk in

chanceplaintivesectsweather

chantsplaintiff sexwhether

doespairnewsworst

dosepayernooseworsted (yarn)

doze

Exercise 20

Pronounce the following, making sure that each syllable is correct. Guard against slurring the words in the last column.

beensuchbarrelDid you?

goneputfaucetDon't you?

towithsuburbGo on.

fortinyhearthOur education

auntandnothing You are

farpoemofficeYou're not

ourcatchperilWe're coming

kepttowardforbadeThey're coming

saysdonkeyspiritWhat did you say?

ridagainsemiWhere are you going?

sinceagainst scaredWhere have you been?

sleek honestsaucyI want to go.

creeksavageturnipI'm going to go.

where sweptroofTo-morrow morning

boilvelvetproofNext month

hoistdirecthydrantLast Saturday

Exercise 21

Enunciate carefully:

salarygentlemansupplegymnasium

becauselibrarysubtleperspiration

idealwrestleitalicclapboards

suitevesselinsectcupboard

thirtyfriendshiporchidarchangel

tomatojudgmenthovelcandelabra

grimycowardiceseveralextraordinary

patronmiserablepumpkincivilization

omeletguaranteeaccuratehorseshoe

hundredgelatineguardianlaboratory

couponglycerinedelinquent tenacious

awkwardparaffinesecretarymeasure

hurrahportraitaudaciousFebruary

pigeonmercantile conquercellar

history juvenileconquestperfect

diamondthousandcongressgrandmother

asylumoverallslicoricegenerally

Exercise 22

Be especially careful of the sounds th and wh. Add no syllable to a word and omit none. Consult a dictionary for any word below about which you are not certain:

whenlengthdiphthonggenerally

wherestrengthdiphtheria forget

whileheightanestheticrecognize

wharfwidthbetrothalhungry

whichdepththeorygeography

wheeltherethemeinstead

wheezethemarithmeticisolated

whyeleventh bathewriting

whifftwelfthlathekettle

whencethoughtbelievelanguage

whetthroatbronchitisleisure

whatwreathsgovernment volume

whalepathscourteouscolumn

wheatmonthsdifferentalways

wheedlemouthsengineonce

whelpmythsEnglishtwice

whimperbreadthssurprisearctic

whipmothsdeafItalian

whitbathchildrenpicture

whither earthcrueloften

Exercise 23—Homonyms

A homonym is a word having the same sound as another but differing from it in meaning. Use each of the following in a sentence to show its meaning.

alouddraftfowlprincipal

alloweddraughtfoulprinciple

ascentfaintgatepeal

assentfeintgaitpeel

aughtcanvasgreatquire

oughtcanvassgratechoir

badcerealhewseen

badeserialhuescene

balecessionkernelsoul

bailsessioncolonel sole

berryciteleasedstrait

burysiteleaststraight

boycoarselesserstair

buoycourselessorstare

bycompliment mitesweet

buycomplementmightsuite

council feignminerthere

counselfainminortheir

currentflourneedwood

currantflowerkneadwould

Exercise 24

Do the same with the following:

aisleclausekillsail

isleclawskilnsale

awlclimbkeyring

allclimequaywring

basedraught lieserge

bassdraftlyesurge

blewdewmedalsole

blueduemeddlesoul

boughdonepeershone

bowdunpiershown

breaddualporesteel

bredduelpoursteal

bearflueprofitstationary

bareflewprophet stationery

bridalfreezequartswade

bridlefrieze quartzweighed

capital guiltrestwave

capitolgiltwrestwaive

ceilingheardrootwrap

sealingherdrouterap

Exercise 25—Syllabication

What is a syllable?

Choose a word and notice that every vowel sound in it makes a syllable. Therefore, you never have two vowels in one syllable unless the two are pronounced as one sound.

In pronouncing notice carefully to which syllable a consonant belongs; as in dif-fer-ent, beau-ti-fy, dai-sy.

Divide the following words into syllables. If you cannot decide with which syllable a consonant belongs, consult a dictionary.

papergrocerrotatemystery

tomatoerectrepeatregular

vinegar polish general arithmetic

If a syllable, especially an accented syllable, ends in a vowel, what is usually the length of the vowel?

If the syllable ends in a consonant, what is usually the length of the vowel of the syllable?

When a consonant is doubled, the division is usually made between the two letters; as,

blot-terskip-ping remit-tance

neces-sary throt-tlespan-ning

As a rule, a prefix constitutes one syllable; as,

pro-longpre-fercon-stantde-fectad-mit

re-ceive se-lect dis-trust e-merge im-merse

As a rule, a suffix constitutes one syllable; as,

labor-ersoft-lybeauti-fyselec-tion

mole-cule revolution-ist percent-age fanat-ic

When two or more letters together give one sound, they must not be divided; as,

math-ematics ex-change paragraph-ing abolish-ing

bow-ingtoil-ingnation-algra-cious

Can a word of one syllable be divided?

Do not divide a syllable of one letter from the rest of the word. The division ever-y is wrong.

Exercise 26

Divide the following words into syllables, using the suggestions given in the preceding exercise:

accountantdissatisfaction manufacturerreference

advertisementeconomymaterialrepeatedly

anecdoteemploymentmechanicalsalesman

annuallyenergeticneighborhood security

applicationenvironmentoccupationseparate

automobileespeciallyopportunitysignature

beginningestablishmentorganizedspecification

collectionexpenditurepermanentstenography

comparisonfactorypreparationsuburban

competentfurniturepresidentsuperintend

confirmationillustrationquotationsystematic

consequenceimpressionrealizetelephone

correspondence improvementreceptacletreasurer

counterfeitjudgmentrecognitionunanimous

customermachinistrecommendunusual

Exercise 27—Accent

What is accent?

Divide into syllables, indicate the accent, and pronounce the following:

expandvolumedefectinteresting

mischievous usuallyincomparable theatre

exquisitetedioushospitablegenerally

columninquiry impious

In the following words the meaning changes with the accent. Use each word in a sentence to show its meaning.

ob´jectsubjectcontrast desert

ob-ject´insultprotestextract

tor´mentessayconflictcompact

tor-ment´ transfer compoundsurvey

minute (notice the vowel change)

refuse (notice the consonant change)

Bring to class a list of words that you have heard mispronounced in your classes. Be sure that you can pronounce them correctly.

Exercise 28

The following words are frequently mispronounced. Divide them into syllables, mark the accent, and pronounce carefully.

municipalexquisite championaccurately

interesting gondolainquiryGenoa

influencefinanceinexplicable alias

illustratedeficitdespicableexpert

inventorypretensemischievousimpious

alternatedirigibleperfumedetail