TONICS. The following is a list of the pure Tonics: their sound is given in the separated Italic of each word, according to its ordinary pronunciation. 1 1. The tonic sound of a in a-ll, and of o in o-n, is organically the same; with this difference in quantity, that in a-ll it is long, in o-n it is short; they are accordingly here marked under the same numeral, with the distinctive mark long, or, short. 6. So the tonic of e in e-ve, and of i in i-ll, is organically the same, differing only in quantity; numbered and marked accordingly. 5. The same of e in there, and e in end. 8. The same of o in d-ō, and u in b-u-ll. 9. And of u in u-rn, and u in u-s. We have in the above scheme nine distinct pure tonic elements, whose sound is monothongal; that is, capable of being produced by one simple process of articulation, and of being prolonged to an indefinite time, without any change of tone, or serpent-like sibilation. Voice without breath is flame without fire! alteration of the vocal organs, from the commencement to the close of its sound. The term monothongal is used in contradistinction to The above two lists of pure and mixed tonics contain all the tonic sounds, monothongal and diphthongal, that are found in our language.t Of course, in speaking here of diphthongal tonics, I discard the grammatical definition of a diphthong: for, according to that, the sound of oo, as in ooze, is called diphthongal, whereas it is really a pure tonic element; it is the sound of o in d-o. In articulation, a diphthong is the union of two tonics, in which the actual utterance of each takes place: the radical, or com * A-le, Ai-l.-The authority of Dr. Rush is in favor of con sidering these sounds identical; that is, he classes the a in a-le as diphthongal; but after a very nice examination by a good ear, I think a distinct sound may be traced in äi-d, from that which is found in fa-de-in päi-n, from pa-ne. For this reason I have classed them as separate tonic sounds; the one pure, the other mixed. It is necessary to observe, that in adopting the nomen clature of the elementary sounds, propounded by Dr. Rush, I have thought it advisable to depart in some instances from his arrangement and definition of those sounds, and also to make additions thereto. I mention this, that that learned and philosophical writer may not, by any chance, have to bear the imputation of any errors which may appear in my arrangement or definition of those elementary sounds, or of their power and value in speech. mencing sound, being different from that which is heard at its close or vanish; thus, the sound of the name of the letter u, (as heard in the word u-nion,) is compounded of the e in e-ve and 8 6 6 8 the o in d-o: that is, its radical (or root) is e, its vanish is o, making eo, or ü, as in u-nion. 68 The following table shows at one view the whole system of Tonic Elements, pure or monothongal, and mixed or diphthongal. E has three tonics-two pure and proper, one borrowed or common I has three tonics-two borrowed, pure; one mixed or diphth.(ui) has four tonics-one pure and proper, and three borrowed. U has three tonics-one pure and proper, one borrowed, one mixed NO. for reference 1(-) all-war-call-pall. 12345 2 3 4 arm-father-rather-card. at-ask-cat-apple-lap. ale-cane-ace. 5(-) care-lair-mare-dare. 5599 ere-there-ne'er. (-) eve-me-fee-leave. 6 ( − ) | fïend—field—wield. 7 old-no-bold-go. or diphthongal (6.8.) diph. 6.8. U-union-tune―duke. Y has two tonics, both 6 pity-army-nymph. borrowed-one pure, (diph. 9.6.Y-by-my--dye. one diphth. (9.6). W has one tonic sound, borrowed. 8(-) now-cow-bow. NOTES ON THE MIXED OR DIPHTHONGAL TONICS. I.-The diphthongal sound of i has been by some writers re 1 6 1 solved into the tonic sounds of a and e; a being given as the 6 1 6 radical or opening, and e as the vanish or close of the sound. But this combination (a e) would produce the diphthongal sound oi, as in voice; which is, in fact, a provincial pronunciation of the diphthongal sound of ï (in such words as find, mind, &c.) prevalent among the vulgar in some of the northern counties in England, where we may hear foind for find, koind for 9 1 6 1 6 6 kind, &c. The true radical of ï is u, as in us, and its vanish e, as in eve. This will be manifest by articulating these two sounds, separately and slowly at first, and gradually blending them by a closer and more rapid utterance, till the two tonics run together, and are lost in each other, thus: 9 -e; u 6 9 6 96 9 6 96 -e; u―e; ue; u-e; ue, or ï. U.-The diphthongal sound of u, as in ünion, tüne, has for its radical, e, and for its vanish, o; that is, is produced by the Ÿ.—The diphthongal sound of ÿ, as in by, try, is resolvable into the same elements as that of i, as above given. 1 8 W.-The character of the sound of this sign, as in the above examples, is clearly diphthongal, though its elements are difficult to trace with exactitude; perhaps its radical is a, its vanish o. This sign is also frequently mute in its diphthongal figure, as in awe: here are three vowel signs with one elementary sound, viz. |