In our own language the true aspirates, like the true reduplications, are found only in compound words; and there they are often slurred in the pronunciation.

We findp and h in the words haphazard, upholder.
—b and h—abhorrent, cub-hunting.
—f and h—knife-handle, off hand.
—v and h—stave-head.
—d and h—adhesive, childhood.
—t and h—nuthook.
—th and h—withhold.
—k and h—inkhorn, bakehouse.
—g and h—gig-horse.
—s and h—race-horse, falsehood.
—z and h—exhibit, exhort.
—r and h—perhaps.
—l and h—wellhead, foolhardy.
—m and h—Amherst.
—n and h—unhinge, inherent, unhappy.

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.