In the above Sounds we may obferve the following Similarities. A is broad in moft Words before ld, lk, ll, and It; as, bald, walk, IVall, Alfar: It has likewife the broad Sound, for the most Part, between w and r, ort; as War, IVater. A is A is narrow in all Words or Syllables that are lengthened by the final e; as, Babe, Blade, Fate, relate: It is likewife narrow in all words compounded with ation; as, Salvation, Relation. In most other Words the middle Sound prevails. E E is for the moft Part narrow when it ends a Word; as, Epitome, Apoftrophe, me, he, she, be; as likewife in all Words compounded with be; as, below, befpeak. E has moft commonly the middle Sound when it ends a Syllable, or is not joined in Pronunciation to the following Confonants; as, Lever, Fever, elope, efcape. When E is joined to the following Confonants, it is generally pronounced broader; as, fell, let, bend. 1. I is I. I is always broad when the Syllable in which it occurs is made long by the final e; as, Pine, Bite, Lime Alfo generally when it goes before gh, gn, ld, mb, and nd; as, Sight, Sign, mild, climb, find. The middle Sound of the I is ufed before rd; as, Bird, third, and occurs but feldom. I is narrow when pronounced short with a following Confonant; as, Pin, Sin, Mill, till. 0. O has the fecond middle Sound when the Syllable in which it ftands is lengthened by the final e; as, Toɛ, Doc, Lobe, Robe. For the other Sounds of this Letter, perhaps no certain Rules can be given. U. The broad Sound of the U is ufed, when joined in Pronunciation to the following Confonant; as, unto, upon, Gun, Pun. The middle Sound prevails in those Words that are lengthened by the final e; as, Mule, mute, refuse, abuse. U is narrow when it comes after and is pronounced long, or not immediately joined to the following Confonant; as, rude, Ruby, Ruin. Y. r, at the End of a Word of one Syllable, or fuch as are accented on the last syllable, is broad; as, Sky, fly, try, comply: But in the end of words of more than one Syllable, and not accented on the laft, it is generally narrow; as, poffibly, Folly, Poverty. All Vowels, when pronounced fort and negligently with a following Confonant, fonant, in a Syllable not accented, have nearly the fame Sound; as, Altar, alter, Manor, Murmur, Satyr. Of DIPHTHONGS*. HEN two Vowels meet in the W fame Syllable, they make what is called a Diphthong. There are no lefs than twenty Diphthongs in the English Language; which with their Sounds are expreffed in the following Tables: Diph. Broad Middle Narr. S. aa. Balaam Ifaac * From dis, twice, Phthongos, a Sound. B 2 Diph. |