PE H$5 I LIBRylRY OF CONGRESS. { t t TETI1X-: ~ 1 j |f kp W*$f» t # f. __ | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I THE El ements — OF — ENGLISH OETHOEPY. For the use of Teachers and Pri mary Schools. ^Y C^C^/-> ~ iv^/t/ Entered according to Act of Congress, ir by ELAM MARSH, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, l the Year 1876, at "Washington^ ' of vv ■ : / cpi CAGO, ILL. 1876. INTRODUCTORY. The Elements of English 'Orthoepy are the Sounds and Ar- ticulations of the language. They are made in our hearing till we easily learn to make them ; but many of these same elements are so variously represented to our sight, so variously written and printed, that we learn to read and pronounce correctly with great difficulty. In fact, to read well, or to pronounce and write correctly, has ever been one of the most difficult of human attainments. To obviate this dfficulty and make the visible language like the audible, easily attained, it becomes necessary to have for each primary element of Orthoepy a seperate symbol to be used invari- ably to represent that element and no other. Then by writing or printing every syllable as it should be pronounced, the visible et- ymology of the language will correspond truly with the audible or current of speech; and be very much easier attained and re- membered. The philosophy of the human voice has been and is yet but little understood, and it would be next to impossible to represent on paper all the powers of speech. The different forces, pitches and intonations of the voice, are too various and numerous to be well represented to our sight, and no one proposes to make any such at- tempt. But the common sounds of the language, both accented and unaccented, primary and articulated, can be so represented ; and it ought to have been done two hundred or more years ago. Primary Sounds and the various Articulations of them are distinctly different things, which should have been long ago, made plain to teachers and pupils everywhere. A Sound is made by the movement of the voice through a tone, semitone or other interval. An Articulation is a particular movement of the breath and organs of speech without any sound, or with one sylabic sound as well as another. The Primary sounds are inarticulate and few in number- only ten- each having its cognate or secondary mode of simple utter- ance. The first or alphabetic mode is the full accented sound; and the second is the short unaccented mode ; as represented in the following table. Accented. Unaccented. A e as in Ale ell E l a a eel ill O u a a note nut a a fool full se a a a fair fan A A a a far sofa 11 e a a all on • 1 a a pine pin u a a pure pull 01 a a our your In this table we see at once the letters representing the pri- mary sounds. The name of each accented letter is the distinct pro- per sound which it represents, made by its most easy and simple mode of accented utterance. Each cognate or unaccented letter is placed in line with, and has the name of, its antecedent. The cog- nate of i, is the same as the unaccented e ; and the cognate of u and ai are both the same as the unaccented oo. Every proper mode of uttering a sound other than its inartic- ulate is a particular articulation of it, that in the written language should be represented to our sight by its proper letter or combi- nation of letters. To represent all the different modes of articulation, we use twenty seven letters and 375 different combinations of the same : each one of which represents a different movement of the organs or breath, and of course a different articulation or modus operandi of articulated utterance. The Primary Articulets, usually called Consonants, are b d g v th z o j y w — r 1 m n it ; ptkfhscfhAV — q and x. Their different powers or modes of articulating, may be seen in the following table. b as in d " V th " z o j " y " w " r " 1 m " n nE en nun letters are used only for kw n> ing and ks ; and there is no good reason why many other combinations may not be symbolized as well. X and n> are terminals always used after the sounds which they articulate. The letters, y h w av and q, are initials,— always placed, when used, at the begining of sylables. — Y represents quiet breath, and h, explosive breath, made with but little movement of the or- gans of speech. W and ay represent a movement of the organs like that made in uttering oo— the former with quiet breath and the latter with explosive, articulets, Aspirate articulets bE eb bib P as in PE up pipe dE ed did t a tE it tit gE eg gig k t( kE ok kick VE ev viv f 61 fE if life thE with thither h (6 hE both ZE 1Z ZEZ s 66 SE es sis zyE Azure c 66 she ash JE ej juj f 66 ChE itch church ya h 66 hE WE AV 66 WllL rE ur rEr IE el lul q (.6 kWE i > These mE em mum x 66 eks 1 two J r and c, dy ty zy and sy, dg ch zh and sh, are used to represent the letters which are the true combinations that have been used to represent. When j f z or c is used between two syllables of the same word, it articulates both syllables. The primary Articulets used both bejore and after sounds, are, bpcltgkvf thhzsocj frlmn — these and y h w a\ and q, making 25 in number, together with the following 35 combina- tions, dw tw gw k w hw sw sq sf sm sn — br pr dr tr gr kr vr fr hr cr sr — sk sp st str skr spr spl — bl pi gl kl vl 11 and si, represent 60 different modes of articulating the sounds, initially. Every syllable of the English language begins with one of these sixty articulets, or with one of the 17 modes of uttering primary sounds, — minus u and ©, making in all, 75 different sylla- bic initials. In every sjdlable of the spoken English we have one, and only one, of the sounds, either of the first or second mode of utterance, articulated or inarticulate; and in every syllable of the written, we use one, and only one, of the letters which represent sounds. The terminal elements are more numerous than the initial. In addition to the 22 primary articulets used after sounds, there are 443 different terminal combinations of two, three, four, five and six letters each. These combinations are all more or less vocal or aspirate. They combine naturally, and have either a single or double inpulse of vocality. The combined terminals of two letters each, representing single impulse of vocality, are b'tl pt gd kt vd ft zd st th ht jd ft ct xt xh sp sk — bz ps ds ts gz ks vz fs th hs jz [*s ph dh th fh gh lh i'h — re rb rp rd rt rg rk rv rf rz rs rj rf rl rm rn rx — lx lc lm lb lp Id It Ig Ik lv If lz Is lj If — nj nf mp md mt mz mf nf nd nt nz ns nc nh — n>h ibd rbt n>z its rbg n>k n>x. Those of three letters each, representing single impulse, are, bst pst dst tst gst kst thst hst vst fst 1st mst nst net nft spt skt sps fts fhs dhs nhs xhs mft mfs mps mts — ndh ndz nts njz nfs njd nfd — rbst rtkt n»xt — rmh rmz raid rnz rnd rat — rbd rpt rgd rkt rxt rvd rft rzd rst rjd rft rgz rjz rfz rbz rps rhs rdz rts rvz rfs rsl — 1st lkt lxt lmz lmd lbd lpt lbz lps let ldz Its lvz lfs ljz lfs lvd 1ft ljd 1ft, Those of four and five letters each, are, lpst ldst ltst ljst lfst lest nest mdst mtst mpst ndst ntst njst nfst ibdst ibtst rtgst itkst bdst gdst vdst ftst — rsts rbst rpst rdst rtst rvst rfst rjst rfst rmst rnst — rmdst mdst lmdst rbdst rptst rktst rvdst rftst rstst. The combined terminals representing double impulse, are, bl pi dl tl gl kl vl fl zl si hi cl xl ibl zm zn sn bn pn cln tn kn vn fn thn hn — bid pld did tld gld kid vld flcl zlcl sld eld elz biz plz dlz tlz glz klz viz flz zlz slz jlz flz hlz hid stl mbl mpl ncllntlrtglibkl rbhn — stn vnh hncl hnz hmz zmz znz vnz dnz tnz clnd tndknd knz — blst plst dlst tlst gist klst vlst fist zlst slst — enst dnst tnst knst znst — mblz mplz mbld mpld ndld ntld ndlz ntlz stlz stld — rbglz itglcl rbklz itkld ibhnz rthnd — blclst plclst didst tldst gldst kldst vldst fldst zldst sldst — dndst tndst knclst zndst sndst — ndldst ntldst stl cist — rbgldst itklclst rbhn cist. Of all these differently combined syllabic terminals, each com- bination represents only owe element — one particular mode of ar- ticulation. Duplicate letters are not combined ; but belong to separate syllables. They are bb pp eld tt gg kk vv fifzz ss rr 11 mm and nn. These should not be used in monosyllables, nor in any word where the duplicate letter does not begin an accented syllable. They may be used to make the accent, which follows them, more forci- ble. Monosyllables need no duplicates ; for they have no accent requiring the repitition of the same letter in sequence. In speaking or pronouncing words or syllables, we use no substitutes, nor any unnecessary element ; and need not use any such in the structure of written or printed words. It is the use- of such, and the various representations of the same element to our sight, that makes the written English so difficult to be attained. . A syllable is a word, or part of a word, uttered by a single or double impulse. Many syllables have a double articulation, and some have a double impulse of vocality. When the move- ment of the voice through a tone or other interval is interrupted by an element of occlusion, the impulse of vocality is double. The letters which represent elements having the power of oc- clusion, are b p d t g k v f s c h and x. It is the vocality of 1 m n and other vocal articulets uttered in the same syllable subsequently to one of the above letters, that causes the double impulse ; but such vocality is not equivalent to a syllabic sound; and the combined terminal cannot be divided into separate syllables without adding a sound, which addition would change the true pronunciation. £To syllable in the language can have more than three ele- ments, — one articulation before, and one after the sound. A sylla- ble of only one element is always a primary sound. A syllable of two elements has but one articulation: either before or after the sound. Orthoepy is the art of correct pronunciation. Its elements are those used by the best speakers of the language ; and are the same as those represented by a scientific orthography. It em- braces sounds, articulation, syllabication and accent. Syllabication is the act of making syllables, or dividing words into syllables, according to their initial and terminal elements. Accent is a peculiar force of voice given to a sound: or it is the distinguishing of one or more syllables of a word from others, by the force of utterance. The accented syllable of an audible word is generally the longest ; and the excess of length alone, with- out much increase of force above the unaccented syllable, is usu- ally a sufficient distinction. Polysyllables and some Trisyllables have two accents, one more forcible than the other. The more forcible is the primary accent, which may be indicated by a suffix of the acute accent, ex- cept when the last syllable of a word has the primary accent, the grave accent should be prefixed. The less forcible is the second- ary accent, which may be omitted, or indicated by a small space, Accented sounds are represented by letters of different form from the unaccented; and in all visible words, the syllables of pri^ mary accent should ever be indicated. The expressive agency of accent is a great source of variety in speech; and its visible repre- sentation in printed or written words, ought not to be omitted. It appears to be well fixed by the orthoepy of the language: why then should it be neglected by writers and compositors. Emphasis employs all the elements of expression, by one or more of the specific modes of time, force, pitch and quality. It be- longs essentially to the current of discourse ; but it may be em- ployed on single words and simple sentences. It cannot well ex- ist without accent ; for the emphatic is always the accented sylla- ble. But the expressive agency of emphasis is more important than that of accent; and in the written or printed text, it should ever be made more or less visible. The Primary elements of orthoepy may be arranged in the usual alphabetic order, simply as an apparatus of symbols for the conveyance of thought; and the more perfect it can be made, the better. A thorough knowledge of these elements, and their artic- ulate combinations, will be a never-failing key to the correct pro- nunciation of words. The division of letters into vowels and consonants byname in- stead of sounds and articulets, may be very well; but we have no dipthongs nor tripthongs, for the very good reason that there are no such in the audible English. Every sound has its duality ; its base or beginning, and its end or vanish. The concrete movement of the voice through a tone or other interval, is the essential func- tion of every syllable. Ko syllable has more than one sound : two sounds in sequence, as well as two consonants of the same letter in sequence, ever be- long to separate syllables. The old method of spelling words has never been successfully taught to the masses, and never can be ! People are demanding orthographic reform ; they cannot afford to keep their children in school term after term, eight or ten years, when the inevitable result is, that onlv a few ever learn to read well. A more practical method of teaching pupils to spell, articu- late and pronounce correctly, is to practice thoroughly the read- ing of monosyllables by naming the syllabic initial and then sound- ing the syllabic terminal before pronouncing the word; and for this purpose of drill many ot the monosyllables of the language have been tabulated. This practice and that of simply drawing or writing words and sentences upon paper, slate or blackboard, are sure methods of teaching pupils how to pronounce and write correctly. Yet, we are well aware that "the adoption of any scheme for remov- ing the obstacles which the English orthography presents to learners of the language, must depend on public opinion." The spoken English language is both phonetic and articulate, and has always been so : why not make the visible English corres- pond with the audible? We "honor the struggling millions who bear the burdens of society; whose hands are tied by the poverty of their circumstan- ces. Their faith and hope and patience are sublime. They are the victims of a false system and of cunning men who madly speculate in the world's misfortunes." 10 " There is no disguising the fact that the laboring classes, even in this country, are suffering under great wrongs that demand instant redress. In the presence of such wrongs the seeds of rev- olution germinate.'" One of the many wrongs to which we allude is the persistent use of what is called English orthography, when every syllable and word of the language may be easily written in letters representing the elements of its orthoepy and in accord- ance with the standard pronunciation of a Webster or Worcester. Parents and teachers will find this is not a spelling 'book — but an articulating, phonetic, First Eeader; designed expressly for teaching the true elements of Englisn pronunciation — making a definite distinction between sounds and articulations, and be- tween syllables of single and double impulse of vocality. Every letter is limited in its use to one office ; and different combinations represent different elements. To represent the sound of a in fare we now use the double letter se, found in the regular fonts and for wiiich a more appropriate letter may be made and substituted. The sound of a in far and a in fast, not being radically the the same, we use for the former the Koman V inverted and for the latter the Italic V inverted. C is used for sh, and c inverted for zh ; but these letters, zh and sh, are a false representation of the two elements — the true analization of which is,-zy and sy — zhand sh do not combine. U inverted is used to represent the sound of a in all. These with six new letters make a separate letter or symbol for each primary element. Jiiir On the twelfth and thirteenth pages, is presented the pupils first lesson, the Arabic notation and the English sounds. The figures and words of the former are simply to be counted or named by the pupil; and the sounds are to be made and repeated until the form of each letter and its name are well known at sight. J^i^ On the fourteenth and fifteenth pages, is the pupils second lesson, the primary articulets — • each with a sound and "Cap" indicating its name — to be read by the pupil distinctly and repeatedly until the form of each letter and its name are well known. Then wherever the book is opened the teacher and pupil will find a new lesson, subdivided into several exercises. 11 MR. SHERIDEN said :— "The greatest difficulty of the English tongue lies in the pronunciation. Some of our grammarians tell us that grammar consists of two parts, Orthoepy, or the just manner of pronouncing, and Orthography, or the just manner of writing words. But after they have made this distinction, they scarce take any further notice of Orthoepy, and their whole pains are employed about the other article, Orthography. They, are deterred from that part of the work by the immense difficulty of the undertaking." "This is the task on which I am now employed — to restore the first and noblest part of grammar to its just rank and power, and to reduce the other to its clue state of subordination: to make spoken language as it ought to be, the archetype, of which the written language should be considered only as the type." DR. J. THOMPSON, of Glasgow, said:— "Often have I wished to see something done in the improvement of our Orthography, for our own good and credit; but much more have I wished it in reference to the study of our tongue in foreign nations. Patriotism and the love and the good of other nations should lead us to remove every hindrance that exists to the study of our language. Do Englishmen wish to make the acquisition of knowledge as difficult as possible to their own children?" The late DR. THOMAS CLARK, of Aberdeen, said:— "The difficulty of reading English is felt not only by foreigners, but unfortunately by a large and most important portion of community. I fear that a great many who figure in statistical tables as being able to read, possess merely the name but not the power. Inquire minutely how most persors read. To them the hard spelling of English is a darkening of knowledge ; to them a judicious reform- ation in the spelling of our language would be an opening of the fountain of light." MR. R. MARTIKEAU says:— " There, is not a single rule which a teacher can lay down for spelling which has not almost as many exceptions as examples. How spelling can be taught at all in elementary schools is a constant wonder to me." Professor MAX MULLER says:— "I hope something will be done before long to reform the unhistorical, unsystematic, unintelligible, unteachable, but by no means unamendable spelling, now current in England." DR. R. G. LATHAM says:— "I consider the question how far a knowl- edge of the new spelling facilitates progress in the old, as one of great practical importance. I say, that if it can be proved that the shortest way of learning the present system is to begin with the phonetic, it is an educa- tional question which should and probably will be entertained." Reading and writing are not education, but they are primary, funda- mental and preliminary to education. A man may be able to read and write without being educated; but he cannot well be educated without being able to read and write. 12 Lesn Koint the fig'urz and wurdz 1 wun 2 to 3 tirE 4 for 5 fiy 6 six 7 sevn 8 At 9 nin 10 ten 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 wun to hrE for fiv six sevn At nin ten I. - 13 Sound onli the aksent' ed let'urz. A e E i u e v for and After saindz. Lesn LAr Iep lor lir lur lair, mAr niEr mor mor mir maer mur, nEr nir. BaI bol bnl bil bil bel, pAl peI pol pol pnl pil pil pol, (1e1 (1a1 dol del dul del, tol tEl tAl tol tnl til til tel, gAl gol gfil gail gil gil gnl. KaI kEl kol kol knl kail kul kil kil, vaI veI vil yiI, fkl M M M fil fil fail fol fel, tnl, zeI, saI seI sol sel sel sil, caI col cal cal eel, j'aI jel jil, fil, ynl yel yu'l, IiaI bel hEl lul ho'l hnl hail hoi hul, weI wil wol. Pro v nains eC sil'abl and then tin wurd. Sit I sot i, tab i, tAdi tidi todi todi, tiki, tali till tuli, tin I tini, tan ton, titi teti tAti,tufi ,hEmi, fAfi fafi, fipi, fill, (kn fEri fen, Cezi, vali veil, vim, VAri yen, WEdi wod i, web i, wej I, wol I, waii i win i, WAti wit I, way I, avezi, yAni ynni. 29 IX. 186 wurclz — tur'minalz, r 1 hi n. WaI wel wnl, jaaI ayeI A\il, teI rol ril ril rul, lul lei, hiaI mEl mol mil mil mul mol mal mnl mAl, iiaI iieI nol nul nel, qAl qel qil. Horn horn hAm hem him hum ham, bnm bom bAm bum, pAm, dAm dEm dom dom dim dim dum dam, tAm tEm torn tim, gAm gnm gum gom gom, kAm kAm kom kum, vim, fAm fom fAm fum, them, hEm hum, CAm cam, jem jam, fAm fim fum, SAm sAm, yam. 82 Dissil'ablz — ak'sent thi furst sil'abl. SpAdi spEdi, spECi speci, spoki, spnnji sponi, spASi spisi, stubi, stud i, stufi, stag i, stAj'i, stAfi stEmi stem I, stAni stoni, stori stAri, stufi, stiki steki, skabi, skefi sksmi skumi, skim, skaeri skAri, skoiti, skAli, swaIi, sweci, swell i. 30 Pri'mari Atik'olets be v for and After soundz. Lesn Saul sehi, rEm rom rim rum rum ram rom rim, Iaiii lorn lorn lorn lim lim lam, mAm mAm mum, num nAm, worn, A\im, qAm. BEn bin bAn bon, pen pAn pin pin pon pun pnn pan, dEn dm dAn den dnn den dAd din dam dun. Tun tarn tin tin tun ton tan, gAn gun gnn gam, kAn kEn kon kon kin kin ken kan ken, YAn vin van, fin fan fun fnn fAn fin, thin then than, hin, zon, son SAn sEn sin sin son. Naiii tin kenVbind mic'al and saind thi tur'minalz. Sweti, swim, twini, twill, sqeci, sqibi, sqski, sqnli, sqEmi, smoki, smut I, smili smell, sm\ki snEki, snAli snAli, snufi, snEzi, snapi, snEri, smuji, snoti, slabi, sluci, slogi slugi, sloli slili, slimi, skpi slop i slip i slop i, slAti slit i slut i. 31 X. 178 wurdz — tur'minalz, m n ib x. Cin cm con cun, jaii jin, fin fAn, yAn ynn, lion ham hen, WAn wen wun win win, Avin Aven, rAn ren ron rnn ran rin, lin Iaii, men niEn mon man, non nin non nun noum. Ban bun, pun pan, din don dun, tun, gan gon, kin, fan, hm hen, sun san sen sin, yun, hun han, win, Aian, ren rin run ran, lun len, mun, jin. Bax bEx bAx bnx bex bax bux box, pex pox pAx pex pax pex pux pix pix, tix tux tax tAX tux, gnx. Pro'ncuns thi wurd, aksent'm, thi furst sil'abl. Slohi, sIeyi, sIezi, slaifi. Bluci bkdi bludi blufi blomi blAni, bliti bleti, blefiblEfi, pkdi, pkti pliti, plevi, gUdi, glEli, glEin, glomi glori glasi glesi, kloidi, klegi, kloki, klami klani, klevi. 32 Pri'mari Atik'olets — tur'minalz, x i. Lesn Kax kox kox kix, vex, fox fix fax fex, six sex sox sux sax sex sex, cax cax cox cux cax cox, dex dux dex dix dux, jax jox, fox [ex fex fux fnx, yox, hox hAx hox hax hnx, wnx wax wex wix wax, Aiax, tax rex tex rox rax rox, Iex Iax Iax lix lix lox lex lax, hiax iuax max mix mux, nex nox nex, qAx qAx qax. Kadi thi kenfbind inic'al, sound thi tur'minalz and then pro^ncuns thi wurd, aksent'm. the furst sil'abl. Flab I flaci fleci fleji flAki fleki, flemi, Aesi, flapi flepi, flair i fluri, flEti flit I float i, frAti fret I frit I, frE li, fa zi friz I frAz I, frehi, nreb I, hredi, krAzi, krabi kragi, kraki kroki kreki, krEmi krumi, kroni, kropi, brim I bromi, brnni brAni brim, briri, brASi brasi braisi brEzi, brEthi, brefii, bruci. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 003 342 496 6 *