網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

apertures, it is distinctly heard at a considerable distance, as when we make the hisses, ss, sh, f, th. This noise of air issuing rapidly through small orifices is called whisper; and we must not confound it with the idea of secret speaking, but conceive it simply as that kind of speech element which we use when we whisper loudly. These whispered consonants are called continuous, from its being possible to prolong them without any alteration of their character

If while producing these whispers ss, sh, f, th, we cause the vocal chords to vibrate, we get a simple tone, like that of a dull organ pipe, added to them, and the result is the sounds z, zh, v, and th (vocal), which we call continuous vocal consonants, the chief characteristic of which is not in the tone but in the whisper.

If breath be compressed, and its egress be prevented by the tongue or lips, on the impediment being suddenly removed, a whispered explosive, or non-continuous noise is produced, like that heard in the words rap, rot, rock, when the last letter is forcibly uttered. The p, t, k, in these words we call explosive whispered consonants. The drawing of a cork from a bottle is an example of this kind of action.

But if while producing these whispered sounds, we allow the vocal chords to vibrate, we obtain the vocal explosive consonants, b, d, and g, as heard in the words rob, rod, bog, the chief characteristic of which is in the whispered element, and not in the vocal.

There are some consonant sounds in which the apertures for the egress of the breath are so wide that the whisper is almost inaudible, and in these the difference of tone, and not that of whisper, is the characteristic; they are, m, n, ng, and 1. In the three former, the breath issues from the nose and not from the mouth, and in the last, 1, it escapes on each side of the tongue. The quality of these consonants strongly

resembles that of vowel sounds.

If the vocal ligaments be allowed to vibrate, and the breath to issue without any impediment, there is no sound of whisper, and these sounds are called vowels, as, a, e, i, o

and u. The differences between them being caused by the position of the tongue in the mouth, and the greater or less opening of the lips, with or without protrusion.

In short, all the sounds in language consist either of simple whisper, of vocalised breath, which is a combination of whisper and voice, or of pure vocal tone, as in the case of vowels.

Deduct from the sound v its vocal element, and the remainder is the whisper f. Add to the whispers s or t vocal tone, formed at the glottis, and the result is a z or d. The whole of our system of consonant sounds is based upon these principles.

CHAPTER IV.-CLASSIFICATION OF SOUNDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

There are 36 simple and 8 compound sounds in our language, namely:-6 explosive consonants, 3 nasal continuous consonants, 4 pairs or eight other continuous consonants, 2 so-called liquid consonants (1 and r), 2 explosive vowel-consonants (w and y), and the aspirate h; 4 compound consonants, 7 short and 7 long vowels, and 4 compound vowels or diphthongs; altogether forty-four.

Differently stated, there are 8 whispered, 14 vocal, and 4 compound consonants; 7 short, 7 long, and 4 compound vowels.

The sounds are arranged according to their quality and not in their alphabetical order, as this method leads to a much clearer understanding of them. A key-word is given for each sound, and also the letters by which it is represented, in the order of their frequency, as No. 10 | s | stress, by s and c. The numbers of the sounds in the table coincide with the numbers of the rules, where the sounds are fully explained and copious examples given.

[blocks in formation]

By p only
By t only

2 b baby
4 d

By b only

deed

By d only

No whispered sound

5k cake By c, k, ch and g 6 g

3 Nasal Continuous Consonants.

By m only

good

By g only

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

7 m mimic

nun

By n only

By ng and n

[blocks in formation]

41 i file 42 oy foil 43 ou foul 44 eu few

VOWELS, 7 pairs.

By o & a (after w)
By o and ow

By oo and u

By u only

134 e
meet
35 a mate

36 a
37 au Paul

7 Long,

e, ee, ea, ie a, ai, ay By a only

mart

By au, aw, or

39 00

38 o pole
pool

By o, oe, oa

By oo and u

40 ur burn

By e, u, i, &c.

4 Compound Vowels or Diphthongs.

By i, y

Composed of Nos. 28 or 29 and 27.
By oi and oy Composed of Nos. 30 and 27.
By ou and ow Composed of Nos. 29 and 32.
Ry u, eu, ew Composed of Nos. 27 and 32.

CHAPTER V.-FRENCH AND GERMAN SOUNDS.

Many French and German words having become common with us, it is desirable that Englishmen should be able to pronounce the following simple elements :—

THE FOUR FRENCH NASAL VOWELS.

1st. The nasal vowel sound represented by i, ai, or ei, before n or m, as in the French words lin, faim, feinte, crin. This is like our short e in men sounded nasally or through the nose, but without any sound of n following. The word faim, for instance, consists of only two sounds, the consonant sound f and a nasal vowel sound.

2nd. The nasal vowel sound represented by a or e before n or m, as in the French words ange, sang, sens, semblant. This is nearly like our o in fond; or, perhaps, nearer still, is a vowel sound between our a in farm and o in form. It must be sounded nasally, but without any sound of n following. The word ange, for instance, consists of only two simple sounds, a nasal vowel and the consonant sound of s in vision. 3rd. This nasal vowel is invariably represented by o before n or m, as in the French words long, bon, bombe, plomb. It is the short sound of our o in tone sounded nasally, but without any sound of n following. The word long, for instance, consists of only two simple sounds, the consonant 1 and a nasalised o.

4th. This nasal vowel sound is invariably represented by the letter u before n or m, as in the French words un, brun, parfum. It is the sound of our u in burn pronounced through the nose, but without any sound of n following. The word un, for instance, consists of only one simple sound, which is a nasal vowel sound.

If these instructions are understood, a very little practice will enable the pupil to pronounce tolerably well the four French nasals.

THE FRENCH DIPHTHONG oi, as heard in the French words roi, foi, soi, toi, moi, consists of the elements No. 32 and 29, or ü in full and a in pat, or rather a vowel between those in pat and pot. The word foi, for instance, is pronounced foo-ah; roi, roo-ah; loi, loo-ah. The second element of the diphthong being the more prominent.

THE FRENCH VOWEL U, as heard in the French words fumer, furtif, plume, is a peculiar sound produced by a different formation of the mouth and lips from any that exists in English. The tongue is raised and nearly touches the palate, as in our long vowel ee in meet, but at the same time the lips are protruded as for oo in fool; thereby producing a simple vowel sound, which some have described as being the result of an attempt to sound ē and oo at the same time. The dotted ü in the German words über, brücke, müller, &c., is the same sound.

THE TWO GERMAN GUTTURALS.

The two German gutturals occur only at the end of words or syllables; both are whispered sounds, and are represented by ch or g, as the 1st in ich, mich, nicht; recht, euch, weg, rettig, könig, flügel;-the 2nd in ach, nach, doch, buch, flog, trug, klug, lag. They are produced by not entirely closing the aperture at the back of the mouth, as we do for the explodent k, but leaving a small stream of breath to escape. If the vowels i, e, or ü precede, the first guttural is produced, which has some resemblance to our sh; but if the vowels a, o or u precede, the second guttural is produced, which is almost a k. The position of the tongue, being nearly raised to the palate in the first, and lying at the bottom of the mouth in the second, causes the difference. The guttural is also a Spanish sound, and is represented in that language by the letter g or j, as in Megico, rojo.

« 上一頁繼續 »