RULES AND TERMS.
1. What is Spelling?
A distinct expression of the letters or sounds of a word in their proper order.
2. How many kinds of Spelling?
Two.
3. What are they?
Orthographic and Phonic.
4. What is Orthographic spelling?
An expression of the letters of a written or printed word in their proper order.
5. What is Phonic spelling?
An expression of the elementary sounds of a word in their proper order, according to established usage.
6. What is meant by good usage?
The usage, or custom, of the best speakers and writers of the times.
7. How do we know when we have spelled a word correctly?
By reference to the Dictionary?
8. What is a Lexicographer?
An author of a dictionary.
9. Can we spell by Rules?
We cannot.
10. Why?
Because there are too many exceptions.
11. What makes a rule in Orthography?
Whenever a letter is silent, or usually so, a rule is formed.
12. Why is c placed before r in acre, massacre, etc.?
To preserve the hard sound of c.
13. What is the rule for Digraphs?
A digraph must have one vowel silent.
14. Give rule for E final.
E final is silent when another vowel precedes it in the same syllable.
15. What effect does final E have on the preceding vowel?
It usually preserves its long sound.
16. When is B silent?
Before t, or after m, in the same syllable.
17. When is C silent?
Before k in the same syllable; also, before z, l, or
t, in a few words.
18. When is D silent?
Before g in the same syllable.
19. When is G silent?
Before m or n in the same syllable.
20. When is H silent?
After g or r in the same syllable; and h final after a vowel is always silent; also, in a few words after t, and initial in a few words.
21. When is L silent?
After a when followed by f, m, k, or v, except in the word valve; also, before d in could, etc.
22. When is M silent?
Before n in a few words.
23. When is N silent?
Final after l or m.
24. When is P silent?
Initial before n, s, or t.
25. When is S silent?
In a few irregular words; as, isle, puisne, viscount, corps, etc.
26. When is T silent?
Before ch in the same syllable; also, in Christmas, eclat, mortgage, etc.
27. When is V silent?
In two words only—Sevennight and Twelvemonth.
28. When is W silent?
Before r in the same syllable also, in whoop, sword, two, etc.
29. When is Gh silent?
After i in the same syllable; also, after au and ou in some words.
30. When is Ch silent?
In a few words; as, drachm, yacht, etc.
31. When is Z silent?
In one word only—Rendezvous.
32. What letters are never silent?
F, J, Q, and R.
33. What is meant by Antecedent part of a syllable?
That part before the vowel.
34. What is the Consequent part of a syllable?
That part which follows the vowel.
35. How many words end in Ceed?
Three.
36. What are they?
Exceed, proceed, and succeed.
37. How many of the English words are derived from the Latin?
About, three-fourths.
38. What Language is called "Our mother tongue?"
Anglo-Saxon.
39. From what language do we get most of our Scientific terms?
The Greek.
40. How many English words begin with IN as a prefix?
Two hundred and fifty.
41. How many begin with im?
Seventy-five.
42. How many begin with un?
About two thousand.
43. Were final E not silent, what would be the result?
Another syllable would be formed.
44. When is final E dropped in spelling?
Before vowel terminations mostly.
45. Why is the final E retained in such words as changeable and traceable?
To preserve the soft sound of the c or g.
46. In the words fleeing, seeing, etc., why retain both Es?
To determine the proper meaning of the word.
47 What is a Figure of orthography?
Any departure from the ordinary spelling of a word.
48. How many Figures are there?
Two.
49 What are they?
Archaism and Mimesis.
50. What is Archaism?
The spelling of a word according to ancient usage.
51. What is Mimesis?
The spelling of a word in imitation of a false pronunciation.
52. When is i used as a consonant?
When followed by a vowel in the same syllable; as in alien, etc.
53. When is y final changed to e?
Before the suffix ous; as in beauteous.
54. When is y final changed to i?
Before the suffix ful; as in beautiful.
55. What is a Redundant prefix?
One that does not change the signification of the root; as, a in the word adry.
56. When is ie changed to y?
Before the ending ing.
57. When use the digraph ei in spelling?
Ei follows c soft, and begins words.
58. When use ie in spelling?
Ie follows consonants (except c soft), and ends words.
59. In changing the word hoe to hoeing, why retain the e?
To preserve its signification.
60. What is the origin of the suffix less?
Anglo-Saxon.
61. What is the origin of the word English?
It is derived from the word Angles.
62. Who were the Angles?
They were a tribe of people who came from the land of the Low Germans and settled in Britain in the fifth century.
63. What does the word England mean?
"The land of the Angles."
64. Why is our language sometimes called the "Teutonic language"?
Because it is derived from the ancient Germans, who were called Teutons.
65. What kind of words end in ize?
Verbs derived from the Greek.
66. What kind of words end in ise?
Most words derived from the French.
67. Why is the English called a Composite Language?
Because it is derived from so many different sources.
68. Does adding a single consonant to a word ever make an additional syllable?
It does.
69. Give examples.
Grade, grad-ed; confide, con-fi-ded.
70. Can a word be compound and derivative at the same time?
It can; as, ball-player.
71. How distinguish between an affix and a part of a compound word?
If all the parts retain their literal signification they form a compound; if not, the part which loses its signification becomes an affix in a derivative.
72. Is the word outside compound or derivative?
It is compound.
73. Is the word outrun compound or derivative?
It is derivative.
74. What is Derivation?
That branch of etymology which treats of the sources of the words of a language.
75. How many kinds of Derivation?
Two.
76. What are they?
Paronymous and Historical.
77. What is Paronymous derivation?
That part of etymology which treats of present sources of English words.
78. Give examples of Paronymous derivation.
Kingdom, from king; Manly, from man, etc.
79. What is Historical derivation?
That part of etymology which treats of the foreign sources of the English language.
80. Give examples of Historical derivation.
Book, from boc; Moon, from mona, etc.
81. When use a, and when an, in a sentence?
Use a before all words beginning with a consonant sound, and use an before words beginning with a vowel sound, or with h mute, or h initial, if the accent is on any other syllable than the first.
82. Why do words in the English language become obsolete?
Because it is a living language.
83. What is a new word?
One that has recently come into use.
84. Name some new words.
Outsider, intensify, repudiate, and idiom.
85. What is meant by suspended animation of a word?
A word that passes out of use for a while and then resumes its place in literature.
86. Give examples of suspended words.
The words reckless, abate, and abandon, fell into disuse in the seventeenth century, but have since been revived.
87. What letters are called the pivots?
Y and w.
88. Why are they so called?
Because of their peculiar sounds in changing from vowels to consonants.
89. What kind of new words should be avoided?
Any word formed contrary to the genius of the language.
90. What is meant by idiom?
A peculiar mode of expression.
91. What is diction?
Diction treats of the selection and right use of words.
92. When is our diction pure?
When we use only such words as belong to the idiom of our language.
93. What are Synonyms?
Words having a similar signification.
94. What is a Synonymicon?
A dictionary of synonymous words.
95. What is meant by a reputable word?
One that is used by educated people.
96. What is an Anacoluthic word?
One that is unnecessary to the completion of a sentence.
97. What is an Idiomatic word?
A word belonging to an individual language.
98. What is an Ideographical language?
One in which the characters represent ideas rather than sounds.
99. Can there be a derivative word without an affix?
There can; as, brought from bring.
100. What is Dactylology?
The art of spelling words with the fingers.
101. What is the Pythagorean letter?
Y.—Am. Cyclopedia.
102. Why so called?
Because its Greek original represents the sacred triad used to designate the diverging paths of virtue and vice.