15. An Improper Diphthong is the union of two vowels in a syllable, one of which is silent; as ōa in lōaf. 16. A Triphthong is the union of three vowels in a syllable; as eau in beau (bō), ieu in adieu (adū'). 17. Consonants1 are the letters that usually represent either subtonic or atonic elements. They are of two kinds, single letters and combined, including all the letters of the alphabet, except the vowels, and the combinations ch, sh, wh, ng; th subtonic, and th atonic. 18. Labials are letters whose ōral elements are chiefly formed by the lips. They are b, p, w, and wh. M is a nasal labial. Fand v are labio-dentals. 19. Dentals are letters whose ōral elements are chiefly formed by the teeth. They are j, s, z, ch, and sh. 20. Linguals are letters whose ōral elements are chiefly formed by the tongue. They are d, l, r, and t. N is a nasal-lingual; y, a lingua-palatal, and th, a lingua-dental. 21. Palatals are letters whose ōral elements are chiefly formed by the palate. They are g and k. NG is a nasal-palatal. 22. Cognates are letters whose ōral elements are produced by the same organs, in a similar manner; thus, f is a cognate of v; k and g, etc. 23. Alphabetic Equivalents are letters, or combinations of letters, that represent the same elements, or sounds; thus, i is an equivalent of e, in pique. II. ORAL ELEMENTS. N sounding the tonics, the organs should be fully should be thrown, as much as possible, directly upward 1 Consonant.-The term conso- ly used in words without having a nant, literally meaning sounding vowel connected with them in the with, is applied to these letters and same syllable, although their oral combinations because they are rare- elements may be uttered separately, against the roof of the mouth. These elements should open with an abrupt and explosive force, and then diminish gradually and equably to the end. In producing the subtonic and atonic elements, it is important to press the organs upon each other with great firmness and tension; to throw the breath upon them with fōrce; and to prolong the sound sufficiently to give it a full impression on the ear. The instructor will first require the students to pronounce a cătch-word once, and then produce the ōral element represented by the marked vowel, or Italic consonant, four times—thus; āge—ā, ā, ā, ā; āte—ā, ā, ā, ā; ătă, ǎ, ă, ǎ; ǎsh-ă, ǎ, ǎ, ă, etc. He will exercise the class until each student can utter consecutively all the elementary sounds as arranged in the following TABLE OF ORAL ELEMENTS. and without the aid of a vowel. Indeed, they frequently form syllables by themselves, as in feeble (bl), takn (kn). 1 Long and Short Vowels.-The attention of the class should be called to the fact that the first element, or sound, represented by each of the vowels, is usually indicated by a horizontal line placed over the letter, and the second sound by a curved line. 2A Fifth-The fifth element, or sound, represented by â, is its first or Alphabetic sound, modified or softened by r. In its production, the lips, placed nearly together, are held immovable while the student tries to say ā. A Sixth.-The sixth element represented by å, is a sound intermediate between a, as heard in at, ash, and a, as in arm,art. It is produced by prolonging and slightly softening ǎ. 4 E Third. The third element represented by ẽ, is e as heard in end, prolonged, and modified or softened by r. 5 O modified.-The modified oral element of o, in this work, is represented by ŏ, the same mark as its regular second power. This modi 4. P, 5. 8, pipe, pump. 9. sh, "shade, shake. 66 same, sense. 10. wh," whale, white. III. IRST require the student to pronounce distinctly FIR the word containing the atonic element, then the subtonic cognate, uttering the element after each word fied or medium element may be produced by uttering the sound of o in not, slightly softened, with twice its usual volume, or prolongation. It is usually given when short o is immediately followed by ff, ft, 88, st, or th, as in off, soft, cross, cost, broth; also in a number of words where short o is directly followed by n, or final ng, as in gone, begöne ; lòng, prăng, song, throng, wrong. SMART says, To give the extreme short sound of o to such words is affectation; to give them the full sound of broad a [a in all], is vulgar. 1 U initial.—U, at the beginning of words, when long, has the sound of yu, as in use. 2 R trilled. In trilling r, the tip of the tongue is made to vibrate against the roof of the mouth. Frequently require the student, åfter a full inhalation, to trill r continuously, as long as possible. 3 Wh. To produce the oral element of wh, the student will blow from the center of the mouth-first compressing the lips, and then suddenly relaxing them while the âir is escaping. thus: lip, p; orb, b, etc. The attention of the pupil should be called to the fact that cognates are produced by the same organs, in a similar manner, and only differ in one being an undertone, and the other a whisper. THE IV. ALPHABETIC EQUIVALENTS. HE instructor will require the students to read or recite the Table of Alphabetic Equivalents, using the following formulå : The Alphabetic Equivalents of A first power are ai, au, ay, e, ea, ee, ei, ey; as in the words gain, gauge, stray, melee', great, vein, they. I. TONIC ELEMENTS. For a, ai, au, ay, e, ea, ee, ei, ey; as in gain, gāuge, stray, melee', great, vein, they. For ǎ, ai, ua; as in plaid, guǎranty. For ä, au, e, ea, ua; as in häunt, sergeant, heärt, guärd. For a, au, aw, eo, o, oa, ou; as in fault, hawk, George, côrk, broad, bôught. For â, ai, e, ea, ei; as in châir, thêre, swear, hêir. For ē, ea, ee, ei, eo, ey, i, ie; as in read, deep, cēil, people, kēy, valïse, field. For ě, a, ai, ay, ea, ei, eo, ie, u, ue; as in any, said, says, head, heifer, leopard, friend, bury, guess. For ĕ, ea, i, o, ou, u, ue, y; as in earth, girl, word, scoûrge, bûrn, guerdon, myrrh. For i, ai, ei, eye, ie, oi, ui, uy, y, ye; as in aīsle, sleight, eye, die, choir, guide, buỹ, mỹ, rỹe. For I, ai, e, ee, ie, o, oi, u, ui, y; as in captain, pretty, been, sieve, women, tortoise, busy, build, hymn. For ō, au, eau, eo, ew, oa, oe, oo, ou, ow; as in hautboy, beau, yeōman, sew, cōal, fōe, door, sõul, blōw. For ŏ, a, ou, ow; as in whạt, hòugh, knowledge. For o, ew, oe, σo, ou, u, ui; as in grew, shoe, spoon, soup, rude, fruit. For u, eau, eu, ew, ieu, iew, ue, ui; as in beauty, feūd, new, ǎdieū, view, hūe, juice. For ŭ, o, oe, oo, ou; as in love, doeş, blood, young. For ụ, 0, 00, ou; as in wolf, book, could. For ou, ow; as in now. For oi (ai), oy; as in boy. II. SUBTONIC AND ATONIC ELEMENTS. For f, gh, ph; as in cough, nymph. For j, g; as in ġem, ġin. For k, e, eh, gh, q; as in eole, eoneh, lough, etiquette. For s, ç; as in çell, çity. For t, d, th, phth; as in danced, Thames, phthişic. For v, f, ph; as in of, Stephen. For y, i; as in pinion. For z, c, ş, x; as in suffice, roşe, xebec. For zh, g, s; as in rouge, osier. For ng, n; as in anger, bank. For ch, t; as in fustian. For sh, c, ch, s, ss, t; as in ocean, chaise, sure, assure, martial. V. ORAL ELEMENTS COMBINED. AFTER FTER the instructor has given a class thorough drill on the preceding tables as arranged, the following exercises will be found of great value, to improve the |