SECTION III. SYLLABICATION

Syllabication is the process of dividing words into syllables. A syllable is an element or combination of elements uttered with a single impulse of the voice and constituting a word or a part of a word.

In pronunciation there must be a separate syllable for each vowel or diphthong on account of the strength of their vocality; for example, ah, beau, i-de-al, a-e-ri-al.

Liquid consonants coming at the close of words may sometimes take the place of vowels and form the basis of syllables; e.g. troubl(e), fir(e), feebl(e). But it is a grievous fault to make syllables of these same consonants in such words as slew (su-lew), smile (su-mile), snow (su-now), spring (spu-ring).

A syllable may contain one sound or as many as seven; e.g. o-bey, strengths.

1. SYLLABLES AS TO ETYMOLOGY AND EUPHONY

In dividing words into syllables two special points must be borne in mind, — (1) Etymology and (2) Euphony.

(1) Dividing as to Etymology, i.e. with reference to the derivation of the word; as, sub-urbs not su-burbs, re-munerate not rem-unerate.

(2) Dividing as to Euphony of sound, i.e. with reference to smoothness of utterance; as, re-ligion not rel-igion, long-est not lon-gest.

2. SYLLABLES AS TO NUMBER

According to the number of its syllables a word is called : a word of one syllable,

(1) a Monosyllable

(2) a Dissyllable a word of two syllables,

(3) a Trissyllable - a word of three syllables, or

(4) a Polysyllable – a word of more than three, or many syllables.

3. SYLLABLES AS TO POSITION

According to its position in a word a syllable is called: (1) the Ultima when it is the last syllable, as (re-morse), (2) the Penult when the last but one, as (vig-or), (3) the Antepenult when the last but two, as (beau-tiful), or (4) the Preantepenult when the last but three, as (spir-itual).

4. TIME VALUE OF SYLLABLES

Time Value is the intrinsic quantity or length given to syllables. There are three classes, according to the sounds that compose them,- (1) Immutable, (2) Mutable, and (3) Indefi

nite.

(1) Immutable Syllables are those that cannot be prolonged to advantage. They are unchangeably short. Any attempt to prolong them will produce a drawl. Such syllables are composed wholly of stopt sounds; e.g. back, bit, check, stop.

(2) Mutable Syllables are such as are variable in quantity. They are composed of an intermingling of stopt and continuant sounds, the capacity for prolongation being dependent upon the number of continuants. They may be prolonged moderately or pronounced short in expression; e.g. rate, make, bleed, board.

(3) Indefinite Syllables are such as may be prolonged to the fullest extent of quantity. Although intrinsically long they may be pronounced quickly in expression. Such syllables are composed wholly of continuant sounds; e.g. roll, arm, all,

roar.

SECTION IV. ACCENTUATION

Accent is the special weight put upon one syllable of a word to distinguish it from the rest.

Accent is to a word what emphasis is to a phrase or a clause.

A strong accent is one of the distinguishing features of the English language and one of its chief elements of power. It is a source of variety, an element of rhythm, and a leading factor in versification.

I. KINDS OF ACCENT

There are three kinds of accent with respect to their weight or importance, the Primary, the Secondary, and the Tertiary. (1) The Primary (') is the strongest of the accents, and is to be found in all words of more than one syllable; e.g. wom'an, rebuke'.

(2) The Secondary (") is an accent of lighter weight, used in connection with the primary, and on some other than the principal syllable. It is used when there are more syllables than can be pronounced without this extra support of voice; e.g. in"destruct'ible, ad"amant'ine, an"tedeluv'ian.

(3) The Tertiary ("") is the lightest of the accents, and is used only in connection with the others in certain very long words, its use being the same as that of the secondary accent, namely, to relieve the ear and support the voice; e.g. in""destruc''tibil'ity, incom"prehen"sibility.

2. VARIATION OF ACCENT

Variation of accent in English serves :

(1) To show contrast between words of similar form when placed in opposition; e.g. "Shall we ascend?" "No, let us descend." "This is destructible, that indestructible."

(2) To distinguish parts of speech.

a. Between a noun and a verb; e.g. contrast, contrast; progress, progress.

b. Between an adjective and a verb; e.g. perfect, perfect; frequent, frequent.

c. Between a noun and an adjective; e.g.compact, compact; minute, minute.

(3) To satisfy meter.

Poets sometimes change accent to meet the requirements of verse; e.g.

That thou, dead corse, again in com-plete steel.
As hardy as the Ne-mean lion's nerve. - Ibid.
Great Birnam wood to high Dun-sin-ane hill.

Till Birnam forest come to Dun-sinane. — Ibid.
The bride had consented,

(4) For dialect reading.

Shakespeare.

the gallant came late. - Scott.

The broken English of a Frenchman, for example, would be accented somewhat as follows:

Ah, genteelmen, you come wis us. I show you beautiful, O, magnificent bust Christopher Colombo, splendid, grand, magnificent. . . beautiful bust, beautiful pedistal. . . . Discover America, discover America, O, ze devil. — Mark Twain.

SECTION V. EXERCISES IN PRONUNCIATION

The student should consult a standard dictionary, mark the following words diacritically, and then pronounce them repeatedly with distinctness and accuracy:

Abject, acclimate, acumen, address, adept, aëronaut, afflatus, albumen, allopathy, alternately, amenable, amenity, anchovy, antarctic, area, asphalt, assets, athlete, aversion, awry, banquet, bestial, betroth, biography, blouse, bouquet, bravado, brigand, broom, burlesque, chasten, chastisement, clangor, clematis, clique, compeer, communist, cognomen, condolence, contumely, consummate, coterie, cyclamen, decadence, demolition, demoniacal, desperado, desuetude, deficit, disputant, divan, dolorous, donkey, dramatist, edile, equipoise, esplanade, exponent, explicable, exquisite, facet, fetish, fief, flageolet, fulsome, gaunt, granary, grimace, gratis, halibut, harass, hirsute, hypocrisy, homeopathic, ignoramus, implacable, indicatory, industry, indissoluble, indisputable, interesting, intrigue, integral, inquiries, inexplicable, jocund, juvenile,

lamentable, lithography, longevity, lyrist, lyceum, magazine, Malay, mediocre, mischievous, millionaire, misconstrue, misanthrope, monad, molecule, museum, mustache, naked, nasal, nectarine, nepotism, nescience, nuptial, obligatory, oligarchy, obsolete, occult, onerous, orotund, opponent, ordeal, overt, overseer, oxalic, organization, palmistry, parliament, pastel, paresis, pedagogue, pedagogy, pedagogical, persistent, peremptory, picturesque, quæstor, quay, quoit, quote, rapacious, recess, requiem, resource, research, revolution, ribald, rinse, romance, sagacious, salmon, sedative, seine, sinecure, spoliation, spontaneity, squalor, suffice, suit, swaths, syringe, telegraphy, thews, thither, thought, tonsilitis, treble, tremendous, tribune, truths, tune, tympanum, ubiquity, ultimatum, umpirage, ursuline, usurer, uxoricide, vagary, vapid, vehement, verbose, viceroy, virago, virulent, vituperative, voluminous, wherefore, with, woman, wroth, xylophone, youths, yolk, zither, Zouave.

CHAPTER IV

EMPHASIS

Emphasis is the special prominence given to words or phrases in relation to other parts of the sentence. It is to a clause or phrase what accent is to a word, and, when properly given, discloses the exact meaning intended. It teaches one discrimination and perspective, to pass lightly over the unimportant and give weight to the important parts.

The significance of Emphasis is mental, emotive, or vital in response to the intellect, the feelings, or the physical activities. This special prominence given to ideas is reached through the elements of vocal expression and action, and responds sympathetically to the demands of the three natures of man. Accordingly we have named the kinds of Emphasis as follows: (1) Emphasis of Sense, (2) Emphasis of Emotion, and (3) Emphasis of Pulsation. When these divisions are classified as