A thorough reformation of the orthography of the English language,
desirable as it is, can scarcely be hoped for in this century; though
doubtless the time will come when an international convention will settle
authoritatively the spelling of every word, as acceptably as has been
done by the Academies of France and Spain in regard to the orthography of
the languages of those countries.
_A or AN before a Vowel or silent H._
In regard to the use of the indefinite article, Walker’s Dictionary very
judiciously says,—
“This indefinite, and, as it may be called, the _euphonic_ article, is
said by all our grammarians to be used before a vowel or _h_ mute; but
no notice is taken of using _a_ instead of _an_ before what is called a
vowel, as, _a useful book_, _a useful ceremony_, _a usurer_, &c.; nor is
any mention made of its constant usage before _h_ when it is not mute,
if the accent of the word be on the second syllable, as, _an heroic
action_, _an historical account_, &c. This want of accuracy arises from
a want of analyzing the vowels, and not attending sufficiently to the
influence of accent on pronunciation. A proper investigation of the power
of the vowels would have informed our grammarians that the letter _u_,
when long, is not so properly a vowel as a semi-consonant, and perfectly
equivalent to commencing _y_, and that a feeling of this has insensibly
influenced the best speakers to prefix _a_ to it in their conversation,
while a confused idea of the general rule, arising from an ignorance of
the nature of the letters, has generally induced them to prefix _an_ to
it in writing. The same observations are applicable to the _h_. The ear
alone tells us that, before _heroic_, _historical_, &c., the _an_ ought
invariably to be used; but, by not discovering that it is the absence of
accent on the _h_ that makes _an_ admissible in these words, we are apt
to prefix _an_ to words where the _h_ is sounded, as, _an horse_, _an
house_, &c., and thus set our spoken and written language at variance.
The article _a_ must be used before all words beginning with a consonant,
and before the vowel _u_ when long; and the article _an_ must be used
before all words beginning with a vowel, except long _u_; before words
beginning with _h_ mute, as, _an hour_, _an heir_, &c.; or before words
where the _h_ is not mute, if the accent be on the second syllable, as,
_an heroic action_, _an historical account_, &c.” The few words in our
language in which the _h_ is mute are _heir_, _herb_, _honest_, _honour_,
_hospital_, _hostler_, _hour_, _humble_, _humour_, and their derivatives.
_O, or OH._
_Oh_ should be used to express surprise, pain, sorrow, or anxiety. When
the interjection is followed by a proper name, or as an exclamation
of wishing the _O_ should be employed singly, thus: _O mother dear,
Jerusalem!_ _O Lord!_ _O that I might find him._
_ABLE and IBLE._
All English words, without regard to the source from which they have
been derived, and those which come from Latin words ending in _abilis_
or French ones in _able_, take the termination _able_ in English,
as, _procurable_, _amendable_, _desirable_, _allowable_, _voidable_,
_available_, _fordable_, _incontestable_, &c.; but in words from Latin
and French words terminating in _ibilis_ or _ible_, then the ending
will be _ible_ in English. For instance: _accessible_, _sensible_,
_defensible_, _convertible_, &c.
In words ending in _ce_ or _ge_, the final _e_ is preserved before
the termination _able_, for the purpose of indicating the soft sound
of the consonant, as in _marriageable_, _chargeable_, _traceable_,
_serviceable_, &c.; but before the ending _ible_ the final _e_ of the
primitive disappears, and there is no _e_ before the termination.
Examples: _deducible_, _reducible_, _frangible_, &c.
The following list of words in _ible_ is here added; all others end in
_able_:—
accessible
admissible
adustible
appetible
apprehensible
audible
cessible
coercible
collectible
comminuible
compatible
competible
comprehensible
compressible
conceptible
conclusible
congestible
contemptible
contractible
controvertible
convertible
convincible
corrigible
corrosible
corruptible
credible
deceptible
decerptible
decoctible
deducible
defeasible
defectible
defensible
depectible
deprehensible
descendible
destructible
digestible
discernible
discerptible
dispraisible
dissolvible
distensible
divisible
docible
edible
effectible
eligible
eludible
enforcible
evincible
expansible
expressible
extendible
extensible
fallible
feasible
fencible
flexible
forcible
frangible
fusible
horrible
ignoscible
illegible
immarcessible
immiscible[23]
impassible[24]
intelligible
irascible
legible
miscible
partible
passible[25]
perceptible
permiscible
permissible
persuasible
pervertible
plausible
possible
producible
quadrible
reducible
referrible
reflexible
refrangible
regible
remissible
reprehensible
resistible
responsible
reversible
revertible
risible
seducible
sensible
solvible
tangible
terrible
transmissible
visible
_IM or IN, and EM or EN._
The prefix _in_ is from the Latin, and that of _en_ from the French and
Greek. _In_ generally signifies _situation_, and _en_ mostly expresses
_action_. Hence, perhaps, in strictness, _inclose_ will signify “to close
in,” and _enclose_, “to make close.” So, to _inquire_ will be “to seek
_in_, or to search in,” and _enquire_, to “make search.” _Immigrate_,
“to pass into;” _emigrate_, “to go out of.” But this distinction is not
attended to by writers, and is, indeed, too refined for general practice.
Before the letters _b_ and _p_, _en_ becomes _em_, as in _embattle_,
_empower_; and _in_ before some letters becomes _ig_, _il_, _im_, or
_ir_, as in _ignoble_, _illegal_, _improper_, _irresolute_.
We give a list of those generally spelt with _im_ or _in_; leaving it to
be inferred that the rest are more usual with _em_ or _en_.
imbarn
imbibe
imboil
imbound
imbrue
imbrute
imbue
imburse
immanacle
immense
immerge
immerse
immigrate
immingle
immit
immix
immure
impact
impale
imparadise
impassioned
impawn
impeach
impearl
impel
impen
imperil
impinge
implant
implead
import
impose
impound
impregnate
impress
imprint
imprison
inarch
incase
inclasp
inclip
incloud
include
incrassate
increase
incur
indart
indent
indict
indite
indoctrinate
indrench
induce
induct
ineye
infer
infest
inflix
inflame
inflate
inflect
inflict
infringe
infuscate
infuse
ingrane
ingest
inhabit
inhale
inhere
inhold
inhume
initiate
inject
inlapidate
inlay
inlet
inoculate
inosculate
inquire
inrail
inscribe
insculp
inseam
insert
inset
inshell
inship
insinew
insphere
inspire
inspirit
install
instate
insteep
instil
instop
insure
inter
intertwine
intort
intreasure
intrench
intrude
intrust
inumbrate
inure
inurn
invade
inveigh
invert
invest
invigorate
invite
invocate
invoice
invoke
inwall
inweave
_IN and UN._
_In_, as a prefix, also marks _negation_: it is probable that it came
from the Romans. _Un_, as a prefix, is synonymous with _in_: it is of
Saxon origin, and generally joined to words from a northern source; while
_in_ is oftener applied to those of Latin derivation.
_ISE and IZE._
The variation in the terminations _ise_ and _ize_ is due to the different
derivations of words,—_ize_ characterizing words from the Greek and
Latin, and _ise_ from the French. The rule, however, is not inflexible.
The following words are commonly spelled with the _s_.
advertise
advise
affranchise
aggrandise
amortise
catechise
chastise
circumcise
comprise
compromise
criticise
demise
despise
devise
disfranchise
disguise
divertise
emprise
enfranchise
enterprise
exercise
exorcise
galliardise
manumise
merchandise
misprise (mistake)
premise
recognise
reprise (take again)
supervise
surmise
surprise
_OR and OUR._
The ending _our_ was in general use until the appearance of Webster’s
Dictionary, in which the _u_ was dropped in words terminating with _our_.
This innovation has steadily gained ground. We do not approve of partial
tinkerings with English orthography; and, until a general convention
of British and American scholars settle the method of spelling English
words, we shall adhere to the established usage. We append a list of
words terminating in _our_.
arbour
ardour
armour
behaviour
candour
clamour
clangour
colour
contour
demeanour
dishonour
dolour
endeavour
favour
fervour
flavour
harbour
honour
humour
labour
neighbour
odour
parlour
rancour
rigour
rumour
savour
saviour
splendour
succour
tambour
tumour
valour
vapour
vigour
The _u_ is dropped when the termination _ous_ is added to any of these
words; as, _clamorous_, _dolorous_, _humorous_, _laborious_, _odorous_,
_rancorous_, _rigorous_, _valorous_, _vigorous_. And also in derivative
words; such as _armory_, _honorary_, &c.
_SION and TION._
_Primitive words_ which end in _d_, _de_, _ge_, _mit_, _rt_, _se_, or
_ss_, take _sion_ in their derivatives; but all other words have _tion_.