tinctness of speech requires accuracy in these adjustments, they are herewith discussed under the following six groups: (1) the unique aspirate, h; consonants using articulation of (2) the lips; (3) lower lip and upper teeth; (4) tongue and teeth; (5) tongue, teeth and hard palate; (6) tongue and soft palate. In studying and practicing consonants, certain points should be borne in mind. First, the name of the letter and the sound of the letter are never the same; the name consists of the sound proper, either preceded or followed by a vowel. For example, the name of the letter b consists of its sound, followed by the long e; the name of the letter f consists of its sound, preceded by the short e. Secondly, while studying the production of each sound, the student should practice making the sound, and, as in the case of the vowels, he should think, feel, and use a mirror whenever feasible. Thirdly, all the sounds should be made with firm articulation of the organs, and with an energetic expulsion of the breath. Finally, when completing a consonant at the end of a word, the student should not let his zeal for distinctness lead him into making what is called a vocule, or extra vowel sound. It is sheer affectation to say, for example, Thisă soundă is goodů. The h Sound This sound is a mere expulsion of the breath, without articulation or vocalization. It is sometimes represented by wh (who, whole, whom). The letter h is silent in a few words (heir, honest, honor, hour), and their derivatives; also after g and r in the same syllable (aghast, ghost, rhetoric, rhomboid, etc.). The common error is to drop the sound where it should be used ('ome for home), and to prefix it where it does not belong (Henglish for English). This fault is by no means confined to the Cockney. The Lip Group The p sound is made by joining the lips, and then jerking them suddenly apart as an unvocalized breath is forced against the obstruction. The letter p is silent in an initial position before n, s, sh, and t (pneumonia, psychology, pshaw, ptomaine, etc.); also in a medial position in a few words, such as accompt, corps, rasp berry, receipt, etc. The common errors are loose articulation, which results in a vague sound between p and f; and vocalizing the breath, which converts the sound into b (bray for pray). The b sound is made in the same way as p, except that the breath is vocalized. The letter b is silent before t in the same syllable (debt, doubt, etc.); also after m in the same syllable (numb, succumb, etc.). The common errors are loose articulation, which produces a sound between b and v; and failure to vocalize, which converts the b into p (preak for break). The m sound is made by joining the lips and directing a vocalized breath behind the soft palate and out through the nasal passages. not The common error is due to a nasal stoppage always caused by a cold-which converts the m into a b (bake for make, etc.). The consonant w sound end of a syllable or word w is always a vowel at the is made by drawing the lips into a very small circle, and then forcing out a vocalized breath while the lips change into position for the sound which follows. The consonant w sound is sometimes represented by u (persuade, assuage, etc.). The wis silent before r in the same syllable (wrath, writhe, etc.); also in a few words, such as answer, sword, etc. The common error is to catch the lower lip on the edge of the upper teeth, thus converting w into v (vet for wet, etc.). The wh sound is made by first producing the h, with the lips formed for w, and following quickly with the vocalization for the w. The common error is the omission of the h element, resulting in wen for when, wite for white, etc. EXERCISES FOR THE GROUP NOTE: In practicing the exercises in this chapter, give careful attention to the vowels as well as to the consonants. dipper empire pace - pack - palace - palm - paltry - pane - paper parade - peace - poct - ponder - poor - pray - preach pride - proud - puny; appal - appear - capable - cupola dapper depend experience grapple happen happy hoping - Japan - loping rapid - suppose; ape - chip - chop - clip - creep - deep dip - drip - drop - flap - flip - grasp - grip - leap - reap rope soap. back - bad ball - band - bar - bask - batter bead beet - bid - bill - bin - board - boast - boat - bob - body bog-bond bone borrow bottle bureau; abbey abyss cabinet - cobble - dabble - fable - feeble - foible habit hobby husband - jabber - lumber - robber rubber - sabbath - subdue - table; cab - cob - crib - cub dab - ebb - fob - glib - hub - jab - job - lobe - mob - nab summer; am arm - balm - beam calm - come dim warm water was won way weep - were woo-wood - wore wet win wipe - wire - woe work worm worn worth - wound; await - awake bewail bewilder - bulwark dowager forward persuade quarry queen quilt reward - unwashed - unwell - unwind. Whale wharf what wheel wheeze when wherewhether which while whimper whinney whirl - whisk - whist - whistle - white - whither; awheelawhile awhirl bewhiskered erstwhile everywhere nowhere - pinwheel - somewhere. The Lower Lip and Teeth Group (f-v) The f sound is made by folding the lower lip lightly between the upper and lower front teeth, and forcing an unvocalized breath through the slight aperture remaining. The sound is sometimes represented by ph (philosophy, diphthong, etc.), and gh (laugh, rough, etc.). Failure to catch the edge of the lip under the edge of the upper teeth results in a sound between ƒ and p. The v sound is made in the same way as f, except that thev is vocalized. The sound is sometimes represented by f (of, whereof, etc.). Failure to catch the lip under the edge of the upper teeth results in a sound midway between v and b; a more striking error is the articulating of this sound like a w, resulting in wine for vine, wery for very, etc. Failure to vocalize produces, of course, an f sound (fine for vine, etc.). EXERCISES FOR THE GROUP fable face fade- fathom fear feed file - fill fire flat fled flood foam - follow fort fraud freeze - fringe - front; affect - baffle - comfort - confer defeat defect diffuse laughter leafy lifting - loafer - saffron - sifting - suffrage - suffuse - taffy wafting; beef calf - deaf - doff - enough - fluff - gaff gruff - half - laugh leaf - loaf - muff - puff - reef rife rough staff - stiff - tough - waif. vernal - vessel - vest - vigor - village - vintage - virtue volume beverage -cavil cleavage clever - driver - drover - ever - favor - flavor hover-ivory- javelin - lavender - lover - raven - revise The r sound is made by bracing the edges of the tongue against the forward upper grinders, curling |