Introductory material
Reading edition
TABLE OF VOWEL SOUNDS.
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.
Name. Example. Element.
A long Fāte ā
A short Făt ă
A Italian Fär ä
A broad Fâll â
E long Mēte ē
E short Mĕt ĕ
I long Pīne ī
I short Pĭn ĭ
O long Nōte ō
O short Nŏt ŏ
O long and close Môve ô
U long Tūbe ū
U short Tŭb ŭ
U middle or obtuse Fûll û
U short and obtuse Für ü
OI and OY Böĭl öĭ
OU and OW Böûnd öû
EQUIVALENTS.
E short and obtuse, like ü in Für Hër ë
I like E long Machîne î
I short and obtuse, like ü in Für Sïr ï
O like A broad Nôr ô
O like U short Sō̇n ō̇
U like O in Move Rūle ū
Y like I long Tȳpe ȳ
Y like I short Sy̆mbol y̆
Y short and obtuse, like ü in Für Mÿrtle ÿ
EW like U long Now̄ ew̄
TABLE OF CONSONANT SOUNDS.
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 Consonants are 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 Consonants are those in which the pure breath alone is heard. They are formed without any vibration of the vocal chords.
Name. Example. Element.
VOCAL CONSONANTS.[1]
B Babe b
D Did d
G hard Gag g
J Joy j
L Lull l
M Maim m
N Nun n
NG Sing ng
R (trilled) Rap r
R (untrilled) Nor r
TH soft Thine th
V Valve v
W Wine w
Y Yes y
Z Zeal z
ZH (or Z) Azure zh
ASPIRATE CONSONANTS.
CH Church ch
F Fife f
H[2] Hold h
K Kirk k
P Pipe p
T Tent t
S Seal s
SH Shine sh
TH sharp Thin th
EQUIVALENTS.
C soft, like s Çease ç
C hard, like k Cake c
Ch hard, like k Chasm ch
Ch soft, like sh Çhaise çh
G soft, like j Giant g
Ph like f Seraph ph
S soft, like z Muse ṣ
S like zh Vision s
Q like k Coquette q
X like ks Tax x
X like gz Exalt z̧
Q has the sound of k, and is always followed by u, which, in this position, commonly has the sound of w, but is sometimes silent.
WH is an aspirated w, pronounced as if written hw.
EXERCISES ON THE VOWEL SOUNDS.
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 in fāte.—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 in fâll; and o, as in nör.—Ball, call, tall, nor, form, storm, corn, salt, ought, fought, nought.
a, as in fàre; and e, as in thêre.—Dare, rare, pair, air, share, snare, where, heir, stare, pare.
a, as in fā̇st.—Blast, chance, lance, trance, branch, grasp, graft, grant, grass, pass, class.
e, long, as in mēte; and i, as in marîne.—Be, she, theme, scene, marine, pique, key, fiend, grieve, treaty, Cæsar, critique, relief, belief, leaf, quay, lenient, inherent.
e, short, as in mĕt.—Bed, bread, debt, engine, tepid, get, yes, chest, egg, kettle.
i, long, as in pīne; and y, as in bȳ.—Smile, mile, vine, fly, type, defy, sky, kind, flight, ally, apply, tiny.
i, short, as in pĭn; and y, as in my̆th.—Din, ring, whip, skip, lyric, servile, agile, cygnet, cynic, cylinder.
o, long, as in nōte.—Home, dome, glory, vocal, more, gore.
o, short, as in nŏt.—Mob, rob, sob, dot, got.
o, long and close, as in môve; and u, as in rū̇le.—Prove, mood, lose, rule, true, ruin, druid, moon, root.
u, long, as in tūbe; and ew, as in new̄.—Tune, fuse, cure, lure, duty, curate, few, pew.
u, short, as in tŭb; and o, as in sō̇n.—Just, must, tun, fun, hug, rug, dove, does, rough, son, ton.
u, middle, as in fûll.—Bush, push, butcher, cushion, puss.
u, short and obtuse, as in für; e, as in hër; i, as in fïr; and y, as in mÿrrh.—Burn, murmur, further, herd, fern, person, merge, mercy, sir, bird, virtue, dirk, dirt, mirth, myrrh, myrtle, syrtis.
oi, as in vöĭce; and oy, as in böy̆.—Boil, coil, coy, toy, void, coin, joint, joist, poise, noise, employ, rejoice, avoid, appoint, embroil, foible, oyster.
ou, as in söûnd; and ow, as in nöŵ.—Pound, proud, brown, vow, endow, noun, town, doubt, devout, plough, trout, ground, shout, vowel, thou, around.