A Handbook of the English Language Part 13

PART III.

SOUNDS, LETTERS, p.r.o.nUNCIATION, SPELLING.

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL NATURE AND CERTAIN PROPERTIES OF ARTICULATE SOUNDS.

-- 105. To two points connected with the subject of the following chapter, the attention of the reader is requested.

a. In the comparison of sounds the ear is liable to be misled by the eye.

Thus--

The syllables ka and ga are similar syllables. The vowel is in each the same, and the consonant is but slightly different. Hence the words ka and ga are more allied to each other than the words ka and ba, ka and ta, &c., because the consonantal sounds of k and g are more allied than the consonantal sounds of k and b, k and t.

Comparing the syllables ga and ka, we see the affinity between the sounds, and we see it at the first glance. It lies on the surface, and strikes the ear at once.

It is, however, very evident that ways might be devised or might arise from accident, of concealing the likeness between the two sounds, or, at any rate, of making it less palpable. One of such ways would be a faulty mode of spelling. If instead of ga we wrote gha the following would be the effect: the syllable would appear less simple than it really was; it would look as if it consisted of three parts instead of two, and consequently its affinity to ka would seem less than it really was. It is perfectly true that a little consideration would tell us that, as long as the sound remained the same, the relation of the two syllables remained the same also; and that, if the contrary appeared to be the case, the ear was misled by the eye. Still a little consideration would be required. Now in the English language we have (amongst others) the following modes of spelling that have a tendency to mislead;--

The sounds of ph and of f, in _Philip_ and _fillip_, differ to the eye, but to the ear are identical. Here a difference is simulated.

The sounds of th in _thin_, and of th in _thine_, differ to the ear but to the eye seem the same. Here a difference is concealed.

Furthermore. These last sounds appear to the eye to be double or compound.

This is not the case; they are simple single sounds, and not the sounds of t followed by h, as the spelling leads us to imagine.

b. Besides improper modes of spelling, there is another way of concealing the true nature of sounds. If I say that ka and ga are allied, the alliance is manifest; since I compare the actual _sounds_. If I say _ka_ and _gee_ are allied, the alliance is concealed; since I compare, not the actual sounds, but only the _names of the letters_ that express those sounds. Now in the English language we have (amongst others) the following names of letters that have a tendency to mislead:--

The sounds fa and va are allied. The names _eff_ and _vee_ conceal this alliance.

The sounds sa and za are allied. The names _ess_ and _zed_ conceal the alliance.

In comparing sounds it is advisable to have nothing to do either with letters or names of letters. Compare the sounds themselves.

-- 106. In many cases it is sufficient, in comparing consonants, to compare syllables that contain those consonants; e.g., in order to determine the relations of p, b, f, v, we say pa, ba, fa, va; or for those of s and z, we say sa, za. Here we compare _syllables_, each consonant being followed by a vowel. At times this is insufficient. We are often obliged to isolate the consonant from its vowel, and bring our organs to utter (or half utter) the imperfect sounds of p', b', t', d'.

-- 107. Let any of the _vowels_ (for instance, the a in _father_) be sounded. The lips, the tongue, and the parts within the throat remain in the same position; and as long as these remain in the same position the sound is that of the vowel under consideration. Let, however, a change take place in the position of the organs of sound; let, for instance, the lips be closed, or the tongue be applied to the front part of the mouth: in that case the vowel sound is cut short. It undergoes a change. It terminates in a sound that is different, according to the state of those organs whereof the position has been changed. If, on the vowel in question, the lips be closed, there then arises an imperfect sound of b or p. If on the other hand, the tongue be applied to the front teeth, or to the forepart of the palate, the sound is one (more or less imperfect) of t or d. This fact ill.u.s.trates the difference between the vowels and the consonants. It may be verified by p.r.o.nouncing the a in _fate_, ee in _feet_, oo in _book_, o in _note_, &c.

It is a further condition in the formation of a vowel sound, that the pa.s.sage of the breath be uninterrupted. In the sound of the l' in _lo_ (isolated from its vowel) the sound is as continuous as it is with the a in _fate_. Between, however, the consonant l and the vowel a there is this difference: with a, the pa.s.sage of the breath is uninterrupted; with l, the tongue is applied to the palate, breaking or arresting the pa.s.sage of the breath.

-- 108. The primary division of our articulate sounds is into vowels and consonants. The latter are again divided into liquids (l, m, n, r) and mutes (p, b, f, v, t, d, k, g, s, z, &c.).

-- 109. _Sharp and flat._--Take the sounds of p, f, t, k, s. Isolate them from their vowels, and p.r.o.nounce them. The sound is the sound of a whisper.

Let b, v, d, g, z, be similarly treated. The sound is no whisper, but one at the natural tone of our voice.

Now p, f, t, k, s (with some others that will be brought forward anon) are _sharp_, whilst b, v, &c., are _flat_. Instead of _sharp_, some say _hard_, and instead of _flat_, some say _soft_. The terms _sonant_ and _surd_ are, in a scientific point of view, the least exceptionable. They have, however, the disadvantage of being pedantic. The _tenues_ of the cla.s.sics (as far as they go) are sharp, the _mediae_ flat.

-- 110. _Continuous and explosive._--Isolate the sounds of b, p, t, d, k, g.

p.r.o.nounce them. You have no power of prolonging the sounds, or of resting upon them. They escape with the breath, and they escape at once.

It is not so with f, v, sh, zh. Here the breath is transmitted by degrees, and the sound can be drawn out and prolonged for an indefinite s.p.a.ce of time. Now b, p, t, &c., are explosive, f, v, &c., continuous.

-- 111. Concerning the vowels, we may predicate a) that they are all continuous, b) that they are all flat.

Concerning the liquids, we may predicate a) that they are all continuous, b) that they are all flat.

Concerning the mutes, we may predicate a) that one half of them is flat, and the other half sharp, and b) that some are continuous, and that others are explosive.

-- 112.--The letter h is no _articulate_ sound, but only a breathing.

CHAPTER II.

SYSTEM OF ARTICULATE SOUNDS.

-- 113.--The attention of the reader is now directed to the following _foreign_ vowel sounds.

1. The _e ferme_, of the French.--This is a sound allied to, but different from, the a in _fate_, and the ee in _feet_. It is intermediate to the two.

2. The u of the French, u of the Germans, y of the Danes.--This sound is intermediate to the ee in _feet_, and the oo in _book_.

3. The _o chiuso_, of the Italians.--Intermediate to the o in _note_, and the oo in _book_.

For these sounds we have the following sequences: a in _fate_, _e ferme_, ee in _feet_, u in _ubel_ (German), oo in _book_, _o chiuso_, o in _note_.

And this is the true order of alliance among the vowels; a in _fate_, and o in _note_, being the extremes; the other sounds being transitional or intermediate. As the English orthography is at once singular and faulty, it exhibits the relations.h.i.+p but imperfectly.

-- 114. _The system of the mutes._--Preliminary to the consideration of the system of the mutes, let it be observed:--

1. that the th in _thin_ is a simple single sound, different from the th in _thine_, and that it may be expressed by the sign .

2. That the th in _thine_ is a simple single sound, different from the th in _thin_, and that it may be expressed by the sign .

3. That the sh in _s.h.i.+ne_ is a simple single sound, and that it may be expressed by the sign s[42] (Greek s??a).

4. That the z in _azure_, _glazier_ (French j) is a simple single sound, and that it may be expressed by the sign ?[42] (Greek ??ta).

5. That in the Laplandic, and possibly in many other languages, there are two peculiar sounds, different from any in English, German, and French, &c., and that they may respectively be expressed by the sign ?

and the sign ?[42] (Greek ??ppa and ??a).

-- 115. With these preliminary notices we may exhibit the system of the sixteen mutes; having previously determined the meaning of two fresh terms, and bearing in mind what was said concerning the words _sharp_ and _flat_, _continuous_ and _explosive_.

_Lene and aspirate._--From the sound of p in _pat_, the sound of f in _fat_ differs in a certain degree. This difference is not owing to a difference in their sharpness or flatness. Each is sharp. Neither is it owing to a difference in their continuity or explosiveness; although f is continuous, whilst p is explosive. This we may ascertain by considering the position of s. The sound of s is _continuous_; yet s, in respect to the difference under consideration, is cla.s.sed not with f the continuous sound but with p the explosive one. This difference, which has yet to be properly elucidated, is expressed by a particular term; and p is called _lene_, f is called _aspirate_.

As f is to p so is v to b.