CHAPTER IV.

EUPHONY AND THE PERMUTATION OF LETTERS.

[§ 133]. 1. Let there be two syllables of which the one ends in m, and the other begins with r, as we have in the syllables num- and -rus of the Latin word numerus.

2. Let an ejection of the intervening letters bring these two syllables into immediate contact, numrus. The m and r form an unstable combination. To remedy this there is a tendency to insert an intervening sound.

In English, the form which the Latin word numerus takes is number; in Spanish, nombre. The b makes no part of the original word, but has been inserted for the sake of euphony; or, to speak more properly, by a euphonic process. The word euphony is derived from εὖ (well), and φώνη (fônæ, a voice).

[§ 134]. In the words give and gave we have a change of tense expressed by a change of vowel. In the words price and prize a change of meaning is expressed by a change of consonant. In clothe and clad there is a change both of a vowel and of a consonant. In the words to use and a use there is a similar change, although it is not expressed by the spelling. To the ear the verb to use ends in z, although not to the eye. All these are instances of the permutation of letters.

Permutation of Vowels.

a	to	ĕ,	as	man, men.
a	to	oo,	as	stand, stood.
a	to	u,	as	dare, durst.
a	to	ē,	as	was, were.
ea	to	o,	as	speak, spoken.
ea = ĕ	to	ea = ē,	as	breath, breathe.
ee	to	ĕ,	as	deep, depth.
ea	to	o,	as	bear, bore.
i	to	a,	as	spin, span.
i	to	u,	as	spin, spun.
ī = ei	to	o,	as	smite, smote.
i = ei	to	ĭ,	as	smite, smitten.
i	to	a,	as	give, gave.
i = ei.	to	a,	as	rise, raise.
ĭ	to	e,	as	sit, set.
ow	to	ew,	as	blow, blew.
o	to	e,	as	strong, strength.
oo	to	ee,	as	tooth, teeth.
o	to	i,	as	top, tip.
o	to	e,	as	old, elder; tell, told.
ŏ	to	e,	as	brother, brethren.
ō = oo	to	i,	as	do, did.
o = oo	to	o = ŭ,	as	do, done.
oo	to	o,	as	choose, chose.

Permutation of Consonants.

f	to	v,	life, live; calf, calves.
þ	to	ð,	breath, to breathe.
þ	to	d,	seethe, sod; clothe, clad.
d	to	t,	build, built.
s	to	z,	use, to use.
s	to	r,	was, were; lose, forlorn.

In have and had we have the ejection of a sound; in work and wrought, the transposition of one.

Permutation of Combinations.

ie = i	to	ow,	as	grind, ground.
ow	to	i = ei,	as	mouse, mice; cow, kine.
ink	to	augh,	as	drink, draught.
ing	to	ough,	as	bring, brought.
y (formerly g),		ough,	as	buy, bought.
igh = ei	to	ough,	as	fight, fought.
eek	to	ough,	as	seek, sought.

It must be noticed that the list above is far from being an exhaustive one. The expression too of the changes undergone has been rendered difficult on account of the imperfection of our orthography. The whole section has been written in illustration of the meaning of the word permutation, rather than for any specific object in grammar.