Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

mone, the Greek word anemone being thus pronounced, and the second he will pronounce ora'tor, because it is thus pronounced in the Latin language. Both of these words have in fact become English, and should be pronounced, the one anem ́-one and the other or'ator. While a word is a foreign word, it should be treated as a stranger, and as subject to the laws of the language of its own country; but when it has become naturalized, its foreign aspect and accent should be laid aside. In or thography and orthoepy it should conform to the laws of the English language.

9. Mistake as to the true pronunciation of a word in a given language, after it has been ascertained to belong to that language. Thus, to know that the word debris is a French word, and yet to pronounce it de'briss, implies an ignorance of the true pronunciation of the French language.

10. The neglect of analogy. This is closely connected with the last. Though there are great irregularities in the language, and much that seems capricious and arbitrary, still there are analogies which give laws to its pronunciation. Thus, in words of two syllables, the law of analogy requires that the accent should fall on the penult, and that in words of three syllables the accent should be on the antepenult. See § 100, 101.

11. Bad spelling. When the phonetic elements of a word are not well represented by the alphabetical characters, the true sound can not be ascertained from the written form, and, at the same time, the false spelling leads directly to a false pronunciation of the word.

DOUBTFUL ORTHOEPY.

§ 120. In the language there are many words of doubtful orthoepy, which can be settled only by an appeal to considerations referred to in the last article. In a given case it becomes necessary to determine the comparative value of some of these considerations.

1. For instance, the word demonstrate is one of doubtful orthoepy. Use is divided, the masses inclining to accent the antepenult (dem'-onstrate), and the few inclining to accent the penult (demon'strate). Authorities are divided. Latin analogy favors the last, demon'strate; English analogy justifies the first, dem'onstrate. There is a class of words in the same category.

2. The word azure is of doubtful orthoepy. At least, use is divided and authorities are divided. An argument in favor of pronouncing it az-ure, and not a-zure, is, that it thus conforms to the French, from which it is derived. This sound is, of the two, the more euphonious.

3. The word either is of doubtful orthoepy. The fashionable people of England generally say either. The several classes in the United States more generally say e'i-ther. Here we have to compare the value of use in one country with the value of use in another country. What will help to settle the pronunciation is that the word comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ægther, in the first syllable of which was the sound of e and not that of i.

What can you say with respect to the pronunciation of demonstrate? Of azure? Of either?

4. The word wound is of doubtful orthoepy. We have heard it stated, on the authority of the celebrated Dr. Johnson, of Stratford, Connecticut, that the pronunciation of this word as if spelled woond was a provincialism until Lord Chatham, in the height of his popularity, used it in debate, whether by mistake or not, and thus gave it currency, first on the stage, and then among the people. This pronunciation of woond for wound is contrary to analogy and common use on the one hand, and has the authority of some lexicographers and of partial use on the other.

5. Ease of Pronunciation.-Upon this ground the words acceptable and acceptableness should be accented as here marked, and not on the first syllables, according to the incorrect notation of WALKER.

6. Satisfaction to the Ear.-Other things being equal, sounds, either simple or combined, which are agreeable to the ear, are to be preferred to others. For this reason, if for no other, the accent on the second syllable of the word inquiry is preferable to the accent on the first, as sometimes heard.

7. Influence of the Written Language.-When a language which has existed only in sounds is about to become a written language, the object aimed at is to adopt such a system of spelling as shall exactly represent those sounds, and the system is regarded as correct or faulty just in proportion as it accomplishes this or fails to do it. But after a system of orthography is established, and the language has assumed its external form, not only does the orthography accommodate itself to the pronunciation, but the pronunciation is modified by accommodating itself to the orthography. This is especially the fact where the great mass of the people are readers, and get their pronunciation of many words from books, by consulting the power of the letters, rather than from conversation. It is believed that in the United States, where most of the inhabitants get their pronunciation from books as well as from the ear, the spoken language is made to conform more nearly to the written language than it does in Great Britain.

For an application of these rules and principles to the correct pronunciation of the words in the English language, and to the graceful pronunciation of this language in continuous discourse, see Pronouncing Dictionaries, such as WEBSTER's and WORCESTER'S, and the current works on Elocution.

EXERCISES UNDER PART II.

PHONETIC ANALYSIS.

§ 121. By PHONETIC ANALYSIS is meant that process by which each phonetic element is separated from its combination with other sounds in words, and referred to the table (§ 76) for its description. It thus resolves the

What can you say with respect to the pronunciation of wound? Of acceptable? Of inquiry? What can you say of the influence of the written language on pronunciation ?

combined or compound sounds of an entire word into the elementary sounds of which it is composed, and exhibits each by itself.

In the analysis no notice is taken of the obscure sounds, such, for instance, as those represented by a in rival, e in brier, i in ruin, o in actor, u in the last syllable of sulphur, and y in envy. Only the distinct sounds are noticed.

EXAMPLES.

1. In science, reason is the guide; in poetry, taste. The object of the one is truth, which is uniform and indivisible; the object of the other is beauty, which is multiform and varied.-COLTON.

The first element is that represented by i in fit (No. 7, table § 76); the next, that represented by o in not (No. 18); the next, that represented by s in sin (31). (The letter c here represents no element.) The next, that represented by i in fine (35); the next, that represented by e in met (6); the next, that represented by n in not (18); the next, that represented by s in sin (31). (The letter e here represents no element.) The next, that represented by r in run (31); the next, that represented by e in mete (5); the next, that represented by z in zed (32); the next, that represented by n in not (18); the next, that represented by i in fit (7); the next, that represented by z in zed (32); the next, that represented by th in thine (26); the next, that represented by e in mete (5); the next, that represented by g in gun (30). (The letter u here represents no element.) The next, that represented by i in fine (35); the next, that represented by d in din (28). (The letter e here represents no element.) The learner is expected to analyze the remainder of the sentence in like manner.

2.

High on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus or of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sat, by merit raised

To that bad eminence.-MILTON.

The first element is that represented by h in hot; the next is that represented by i in fine. (The letters gh represent no element.) The next is that represented by o in not; the next is that represented by n in not; the next is that represented by a in fate; the next is that represented by th in thin; the next is that represented by r in run; the next is that represented by o in note; the next is that represented by n in not. (The ein throne represents no element.) The next is that represented by o in not; the next is that represented by v in van; the next is that represented by r in run; the next is the diphthongal sound represented by oi in voice; the next is that represented by a in fat; the next is that represented by l in let; the next is that represented by s in sin; the next is that represented by t in tin; the next is that represented by a in fate; the next is that represented by t in tin. (The letter e represents no element.) The next is that represented by w in wet; the next is that represented by h in hot. (These last two elements are inverted in the pronunciation.) The next is that represented by i

in fit; the next is that represented by ch in chest. The learner is expected to analyze the remainder of the passage in like manner.

3. Analyze the following passage, and state,

(1) Which are the surd and which are the sonant elements.

(2) Which are explosive and which are continuous.

(3) Which are cognate; which are liquid; which are labial; which are dental; which are guttural or palatal; which are nasal; which are cerebral.

(4) Which are syllables.

(5) Which are the accented and which are the unaccented syllables. (6) What are the quantities of the accented syllables.

Costly apparatus and splendid cabinets have no magical power to make scholars. In all circumstances, as a man is, under God, the master of his own fortune, so is he the maker of his own mind. The Crea

tor has so constituted the human intellect that it can only grow from its own action, and by its own action and free will it will certainly and necessarily grow. Every man, therefore, must educate himself. His book and teacher are but helps; the work is his.-DANIEL WEBSTER.

SYNTHESIS.

1. Compose a sentence in which there shall be surd elements and sonant elements, and in which there shall be at least one pair of cognate elements.

2. Compose a sentence in which there shall be explosive elements and continuous elements.

3. Compose a sentence in which there shall be at least one labial, one dental, one guttural, one nasal, one cerebral.

4. Compose a sentence in which there shall be at least one monosyllable, one dissyllable, one trisyllable, one polysyllable.

5. Compose a sentence in which there is at least one word with the radical, one with the terminational, and one with the distinctive accent. 6. Compose a sentence, or several sentences, in which there shall be a word having the accent on the last syllable; and a word having the accent on the penult; and a word having the accent on the antepenult; and a word having the accent on the syllable before the antepenult; and a word having a secondary accent.

7. Compose a sentence, or several sentences, in which there shall be the long sound of a and the short sound; the long sound of e and the short sound; the long sound of i and the short sound; the long sound of o and the short sound; the long sound of u and the short sound.

« AnteriorContinuar »