The Roman pronunciation of v is still preserved in England and America; veal, weal; vessel, wessel; and w is often changed into v or f; wine, vine, or even fine.
The Romans often pronounced t where we use d; as traho, draw.
[138] In teaching English to a Spaniard, I found that in attempting to pronounce words beginning with w, he invariably began with the sound of gu; well, he would pronounce guell.
[139] This word is found in most of the branches of the Gothic.
[140] Allusive to the ancient custom of pardoning by giving permission to depart.
[141] Frontier settlement; so called, because the Romans passed thro this territory, in going to or from Rome.
[142] The French and Spanish rarely or never aspirate an h; and in this word they have omitted it mostly in writing.
[143] The above specimen of the ancient Irish is judged to be a thousand years old. See O'Conner's Dissertation on the History of Ireland. Dublin, 1766, 8 vo.
[144] Feichneinibh.
[145] "Hunc sonum (gh) Anglos in vocibus light, might, &c. olim protulisse sentio; at nunc dierum, quamvis scripturam retineant, sonum tamen fera penitus omittunt. Boreales tamen, presertim Scoti, fere adhuc retinent seu potius ipsius loco sonum b substituunt."——Wallis.