Characters Used To Designate Sounds, Accent, &c.
This mark (´) denotes the accented syllable, as no´ble, hum´ble, a bide´, re pel´. When placed over a syllable, the words which follow have the same syllable accented until otherwise indicated. The figures and numbers from 1 to 14 are used in the spelling lessons of this work to indicate the vocal sounds. 1 indicates the first vocal sound, 2 the second, 3 the third, &c.,—14 indicating the fourteenth. When a figure or number is placed over a word or syllable, the vocals, (or vowels,) in the accented syllables of the words which follow have the sound thus denoted until another sound is indicated.
The italic g denotes the fourth sub-vocal sound, as heard in jet, gem.
Th in italic represents the fifteenth sub-vocal sound, as heard in this, bathe.
The italic c and ch denote the third aspirate sound, as heard in kite, cat, nec´tar, chord, ache.
S in italic denotes the twelfth sub-vocal sound, as heard in adz, his.
The Roman x represents the third and fifth aspirate sounds, as heard in tax, (taks); in italic it denotes the third and twelfth sub-vocal sounds, as heard in exact, exalt; (egz act´, egz alt´).
The italic n indicates the fourteenth sub-vocal sound, as heard in sing, sink, anger,; (singk, ang´ ger.)
The third and eighth vocal sounds combined, are represented by oi and oy, as heard in coil, boy; the second and fourteenth are represented by ou and ow, as heard in loud, now; and the tenth and eighth are represented by oy, as heard in buoy, (booi).
O sometimes represents the tenth sub-vocal sound, as heard in choir, (kwire,) and in a few instances the tenth sub-vocal, and thirteenth vocal sounds, as heard in one, once, (wun, wuns).
A syllable is one sound or letter, as o; or a union of sounds or letters which may be uttered by a single impulse of the voice, as boy. A word is composed of one syllable, or more; as, faith, faith ful. A phrase is composed of two or more words; as, pleasant children. A sentence contains a union of words forming complete sense; as, pleasant children have many friends.
