ELEMENTARY SOUNDS.
In the exercises here given, use the sound, not the name of the letters which represents the sound, and practise separately the sounds represented by the Italic letters below. The only correct way to learn them is from the lips of a competent teacher; but you will do well, and improve, if you try the best you can in your way.
VOWELS.
| Long. | Short. | Diphthongs. | ||||||||||||
| 1. | e | as | in | meet. | 2. | i | as | in | it. | 81. | i | as | in | pie. |
| 31. | a | " | " | may. | 4. | e | " | " | met. | 111. | oi | " | " | oil. |
| 5. | ai | " | " | air. | 5. | a | " | " | at. | 814. | ou | " | " | out. |
| 6. | e | " | " | her. | 7. | a | " | " | Cuba. | 114. | u | " | " | you. |
| 8. | a | " | " | ah. | 9. | u | " | " | up. | |||||
| 10. | a | " | " | awe. | 11. | o | " | " | on. | |||||
| 1214. | o | " | " | oh. | 13. | oo | " | " | foot. | |||||
| 12. | o | " | " | ore. | ||||||||||
| 14. | oo | " | " | woo. | ||||||||||
Glides.—1-14 of the vowels, and r when it follows a vowel, are by Prof. Bell called "Glides."
CONSONANTS OR ARTICULATIONS.
| Breath. | Voice. | Nasal. | Place in Mouth. | ||||||||||
| p | as | in | pay. | b | as | in | bay. | m | as | in | may. | Lips. | |
| wh | " | " | why. | w | " | " | way. | " | |||||
| f | " | " | fie. | v | " | " | vie. | Lips and | teeth. | ||||
| th | " | " | thin. | th | " | " | then. | Tongue " | " | ||||
| t | " | " | tie. | d | " | " | die. | n | " | " | nigh. | Tip of | tongue. |
| ch | " | " | chew. | j | " | " | jew. | " | " | ||||
| l | " | " | lay. | " | " | ||||||||
| r | " | " | ray. | " | " | ||||||||
| s | " | " | see. | z | " | " | zeal. | " | " | ||||
| sh | " | " | shoe. | zh | " | " | azure. | " | " | ||||
| y | " | " | ye. | Whole | tongue. | ||||||||
| k | " | " | key. | g | " | " | go. | ng | " | " | sing. | Back of | " |
| h | " | " | he, hay, ha, ho, is a whispered vowel, taking the position of the vowel following it. | ||||||||||
Of the vowels, the numbers indicate positions of mouth; and, where numbers are alike, the positions are alike. Each vowel-sound is made by unobstructed sounds issuing through a certain position of mouth. The position is unchanged with single vowels, and those have but one number. The position changes in double vowels and diphthongs; and those have two numbers,—one large, one small. As each number represents a position of mouth, you can easily see by comparing what sounds are made from combining others. The number in the largest size type of the two represents the position that is kept when the sound is prolonged: as in 81 prolong the 8 or ah, and make 1 or ee very short; and in 114 make 1 very short, and prolong 14. The positions represented by the small figures are called "Glides," because the position is hardly assumed before the sound is finished. Diphthongs are sounds made by combining vowel-sounds, as 81 ah-ee. Of the consonants, or, as well named by Prof. Bell, articulations,—because two parts of the mouth have to come together and separate in order to finish the element, thus obstructing the breath or voice,—those in line across the page with each other are alike in position of mouth; those in first column are made with breath only, passing out through the mouth; those in second column, with sound passing out through the mouth; those in third column are sound passing out through the nose. For instance, p, b, m, are in line with each other; and, if you will make the three sounds represented by those letters, you will see that the same position of mouth is assumed for each, and that p is breath forced out of mouth, b is sound out of mouth, m is sound passing out of nose.
Practise these sounds of vowels and articulations until you can make them forcibly and easily, with elastic movement of jaw, tongue, and lips; and remember that force depends on the strength and good control of muscles below the lungs. Then unite them by placing articulations before vowels, giving most force to the vowel, but make both clear and distinct. Then use articulations both before and after the vowel, still giving the vowel the most force, but making the articulation that begins and ends equally distinct and clear. To arrange these for your practice in this small book would take too much space. You have above each element of the English language clearly shown, and can easily combine them as directed.