PRONUNCIATION
WE are judged by our speech. If we clip syllables, run words together,
or pronounce them incorrectly, we shall merit the criticism of being
careless or even ignorant. Yet clear enunciation and correct
pronunciation are sometimes difficult. We learn most words by hearing
others say them, and, if we do not hear the true values given to the
different syllables, we shall find it hard to distinguish the correct
from the incorrect forms. Children whose parents speak a foreign
language usually have to watch their speech with especial care; Germans,
for example, find difficulty in saying _th_ and Irish people in saying
_oi_ as in _oil_. The exercises in this chapter are given for the
purpose of correcting such habits. The words in the exercises should be
pronounced repeatedly, until the correct forms are instinctive.
Train the ear to hear the difference between sounds, as in _just_ and in
_jest_. Don't slide over the final consonant in such words as _going_
and _reading_. Watch words containing _wh_. The dictionary tells us that
_where_ was originally written _hwar_, the _h_ coming before the _w_;
and we still pronounce it so, although we write the _w_ before the _h_.
The word _whether_ is of the same kind. The dictionary tells us that it
was first spelled _hweder_. Such words should be carefully noted and
their pronunciation practiced.
Then there is the habit of slurring syllables. We may understand what is
meant by the expression "C'm' on" or "Waja say?", but most of us would
prefer not to be included in the class of people who use either. Correct
speech cannot be mastered without an effort.
In the following exercises watch every vowel and every consonant so that
you may give each one its full value.
=Exercise 10--Diacritical Marks=
Although an _a_ is always written _a_, it is not always given the same
quality or length of sound. When we discover a new word, it is important
that we know exactly the quality to give each of the vowels in it. For
this purpose _diacritical marks_ have been invented. They are
illustrated in the following list from Webster's _International
Dictionary_.
ā as in āte, fāte, lāb´or
[+a] " " sen´[+a]te, del´ic[+a]te, [+a]e´rial
â " " câre, shâre, pâr´ent
ă " " ăm, ădd, răn´dom
ä " " ärm, fär, fä´ther
ȧ " " ȧsk, grȧss, pȧss, dȧnce
[a=] " " fi´n[a=]l, in´f[a=]nt, guid´ānce
[a:] " " [a:]ll, [a:]we, sw[a:]rm, t[a:]lk
ē " " ēve, mēte, serēne´
[+e] " " [+e]vent´, d[+e]pend´, soci´[+e]ty
ĕ " " ĕnd, mĕt, ĕxcuse´, ĕfface´
ẽ " " fẽrn, hẽr, ẽr´mine, ev´ẽr
_e_ " " re´c_e_nt, de´c_e_ncy, pru´d_e_nce
ī " " īce, tīme, sīght, inspīre´
[+i] " " [+i]dea´, tr[+i]bu´nal, b[+i]ol´ogy
ĭ " " ĭll, pĭn, pĭt´y, admĭt´
ō " " ōld, nōte, ō´ver, prōpose´
[+o] " " [+o]bey´, t[+o]bac´co, sor´r[+o]w
ô " " ôrb, lôrd, ôr´der, abhôr´
ŏ " " ŏdd, nŏt, tŏr´rid, ŏccur´
ū " " ūse, pūre, dū´ty, assūme´
[+u] " " [+u]nite´, ac´t[+u]ate, ed[+u]ca´tion
ṳ " " rṳde, rṳ´mor, intrṳde´
ụ " " fụll, pụt, fụlfill´
ŭ " " ŭp, tŭb, stŭd´y
û " " ûrn, fûr, concûr´
[)y] " " pit´[)y], in´jur[)y], divin´it[)y]
[=oo] " " f[=oo]l, f[=oo]d, m[=oo]n
[)oo] " " f[)oo]t, w[)oo]l, b[)oo]k
ou " " out, thou, devour´
oi " " oil, noi´sy, avoid´
ā is called long _a_, and is marked with the _macron_
ă is called short _a_, and is marked with the _breve_
â is called caret _a_, and is marked with the _caret_
ä is called Italian _a_, and is marked with the _diaeresis_
ȧ is called short Italian _a_, and is marked with the _dot_
ẽ is called tilde _e_, and is marked with the _tilde_ or _wave_
=Exercise 11--Vowels=
Of the twenty-six letters in the alphabet, how many are vowels? Name
them. What are the other letters called?
Compare the _ă_ in _hat_ and the _ā_ in _hate_. Which has more nearly
the sound of _a_ in the alphabet? This is called the natural or long
sound of the vowel. The other is called the short sound.
Drop the _e_ from _hate_. Explain the result.
Name other monosyllables ending in _e_ and containing the long _a_
sound.
Explain the difference in pronunciation between _Pete_, _pet_, _ripe_,
_rip_, _hope_, _hop_, _cube_, _cub_.
Find other monosyllables ending in _e_ and containing a long vowel that
becomes short if the _e_ is dropped.
=Monosyllables ending in silent _e_ usually contain a long vowel sound,
which becomes short when the final _e_ is dropped.=
=Exercise 12=
Pronounce carefully the following words containing the short Italian
_a_:
advȧnce clȧss lȧnce plȧster
advȧntage contrȧst lȧst pȧstor
ȧfter enchȧnt mȧsk prȧnce
bȧsket Frȧnce mȧster rȧfter
brȧnch glȧnce mȧstiff shȧft
brȧss glȧss pȧss surpȧss
chȧff grȧss pȧst tȧsk
=Exercise 13=
Pronounce the following carefully, noting each _a_ that is marked:
hälf ideȧ cälm audācious
pȧth cȧn't āpricot ȧghȧst
ȧsk cătch mȧdrăs ălgebrȧ
fäther v[+a]cātion ăgile forbăde
dȧnce extrȧ cȧst trȧnce
lȧss cȧsket grȧnt āviātion
=Exercise 14=
Pronounce the vowel _o_ in the following very carefully. Don't give the
sound _feller_ or _fella_ when you mean _fellow_.
fellow swallow theory borrow
potato follow position heroism
window original factory donkey
pillow evaporate ivory memory
chocolate mosquito licorice oriental
=Exercise 15=
The vowel _u_ needs particular attention. When it is long, it is sounded
naturally, as it is in the alphabet. Do not say _redooce_ for _reduce_.
reduce picture educate figure
produce stupid judicial duty
conducive student calculate accumulate
endure genuine curiosity Tuesday
duration induce regular particular
singular avenue tune institute
nutriment constitution culinary January
revenue introduce opportunity manufacture
=Exercise 16=
Using diacritical marks indicate the value of the vowels in the
following. Try marking them without first consulting a dictionary. After
you have marked them, compare your markings with those used in a
dictionary.
pupil different diacritical gigantic
alphabet several radiating gymnasium
natural letter Wyoming system
result eraser typical merchant
=Exercise 17=
Pronounce carefully, noting that in each word at least one consonant is
silent, and sometimes a vowel as well. Draw an oblique line through the
silent letter or letters in each.
through chasten sword island
although often fasten daughter
wrong soften calf might
yacht subtle hasten bouquet
gnaw almond naughty honest
psalm glisten thumb palm
whistle salve should knack
salmon chestnut knowledge castle
answer folks listen thigh
knot right debt honor
=Exercise 18=
Pronounce the following, paying particular attention to the vowels.
Distinguish between the meanings of the words in each group.
accept bile least prevision
except boil lest provision
affect carol eleven poor
effect coral leaven pure
addition descent neither radish
edition dissent nether reddish
assay emerge pasture sentry
essay immerge pastor century
baron Francis pillar sit
barren Frances pillow set
been jest point wrench
bean just pint rinse
gist
=Exercise 19=
Enunciate the consonant sounds carefully in the following. Distinguish
between the meanings of the words in each group.
acts close treaties rows
ax clothes treatise rouse
advice crossed princes rues
advise across princess ruse
alms formerly prince either
elms formally prints ether
bodice grays price running
bodies grace prize ruin
cease lose recent walking
seize loose resent walk in
chance plaintive sects weather
chants plaintiff sex whether
does pair news worst
dose payer noose worsted (yarn)
doze
=Exercise 20=
Pronounce the following, making sure that each syllable is correct.
Guard against slurring the words in the last column.
been such barrel Did you?
gone put faucet Don't you?
to with suburb Go on.
for tiny hearth Our education
aunt and nothing You are
far poem office You're not
our catch peril We're coming
kept toward forbade They're coming
says donkey spirit What did you say?
rid again semi Where are you going?
since against scared Where have you been?
sleek honest saucy I want to go.
creek savage turnip I'm going to go.
where swept roof To-morrow morning
boil velvet proof Next month
hoist direct hydrant Last Saturday
=Exercise 21=
Enunciate carefully:
salary gentleman supple gymnasium
because library subtle perspiration
ideal wrestle italic clapboards
suite vessel insect cupboard
thirty friendship orchid archangel
tomato judgment hovel candelabra
grimy cowardice several extraordinary
patron miserable pumpkin civilization
omelet guarantee accurate horseshoe
hundred gelatine guardian laboratory
coupon glycerine delinquent tenacious
awkward paraffine secretary measure
hurrah portrait audacious February
pigeon mercantile conquer cellar
history juvenile conquest perfect
diamond thousand congress grandmother
asylum overalls licorice generally
=Exercise 22=
Be especially careful of the sounds _th_ and _wh_. Add no syllable to a
word and omit none. Consult a dictionary for any word below about which
you are not certain:
when length diphthong generally
where strength diphtheria forget
while height anesthetic recognize
wharf width betrothal hungry
which depth theory geography
wheel there theme instead
wheeze them arithmetic isolated
why eleventh bathe writing
whiff twelfth lathe kettle
whence thought believe language
whet throat bronchitis leisure
what wreaths government volume
whale paths courteous column
wheat months different always
wheedle mouths engine once
whelp myths English twice
whimper breadths surprise arctic
whip moths deaf Italian
whit bath children picture
whither earth cruel often
=Exercise 23--Homonyms=
A homonym is a word having the same sound as another but differing from
it in meaning. Use each of the following in a sentence to show its
meaning.
aloud draft fowl principal
allowed draught foul principle
ascent faint gate peal
assent feint gait peel
aught canvas great quire
ought canvass grate choir
bad cereal hew seen
bade serial hue scene
bale cession kernel soul
bail session colonel sole
berry cite leased strait
bury site least straight
boy coarse lesser stair
buoy course lessor stare
by compliment mite sweet
buy complement might suite
council feign miner there
counsel fain minor their
current flour need wood
currant flower knead would
=Exercise 24=
Do the same with the following:
aisle clause kill sail
isle claws kiln sale
awl climb key ring
all clime quay wring
base draught lie serge
bass draft lye surge
blew dew medal sole
blue due meddle soul
bough done peer shone
bow dun pier shown
bread dual pore steel
bred duel pour steal
bear flue profit stationary
bare flew prophet stationery
bridal freeze quarts wade
bridle frieze quartz weighed
capital guilt rest wave
capitol gilt wrest waive
ceiling heard root wrap
sealing herd route rap
=Exercise 25--Syllabication=
What is a syllable?
Choose a word and notice that every vowel sound in it makes a syllable.
Therefore, you never have two vowels in one syllable unless the two are
pronounced as one sound.
In pronouncing notice carefully to which syllable a consonant belongs;
as in _dif-fer-ent_, _beau-ti-fy_, _dai-sy_.
Divide the following words into syllables. If you cannot decide with
which syllable a consonant belongs, consult a dictionary.
paper grocer rotate mystery
tomato erect repeat regular
vinegar polish general arithmetic
If a syllable, especially an accented syllable, ends in a vowel, what is
usually the length of the vowel?
If the syllable ends in a consonant, what is usually the length of the
vowel of the syllable?
When a consonant is doubled, the division is usually made between the
two letters; as,
blot-ter skip-ping remit-tance
neces-sary throt-tle span-ning
As a rule, a prefix constitutes one syllable; as,
pro-long pre-fer con-stant de-fect ad-mit
re-ceive se-lect dis-trust e-merge im-merse
As a rule, a suffix constitutes one syllable; as,
labor-er soft-ly beauti-fy selec-tion
mole-cule revolution-ist percent-age fanat-ic
When two or more letters together give one sound, they must not be
divided; as,
math-ematics ex-change paragraph-ing abolish-ing
bow-ing toil-ing nation-al gra-cious
Can a word of one syllable be divided?
Do not divide a syllable of one letter from the rest of the word. The
division _ever-y_ is wrong.
=Exercise 26=
Divide the following words into syllables, using the suggestions given
in the preceding exercise:
accountant dissatisfaction manufacturer reference
advertisement economy material repeatedly
anecdote employment mechanical salesman
annually energetic neighborhood security
application environment occupation separate
automobile especially opportunity signature
beginning establishment organized specification
collection expenditure permanent stenography
comparison factory preparation suburban
competent furniture president superintend
confirmation illustration quotation systematic
consequence impression realize telephone
correspondence improvement receptacle treasurer
counterfeit judgment recognition unanimous
customer machinist recommend unusual
=Exercise 27--Accent=
What is accent?
Divide into syllables, indicate the accent, and pronounce the following:
expand volume defect interesting
mischievous usually incomparable theatre
exquisite tedious hospitable generally
column inquiry impious
In the following words the meaning changes with the accent. Use each
word in a sentence to show its meaning.
ob´ject subject contrast desert
ob-ject´ insult protest extract
tor´ment essay conflict compact
tor-ment´ transfer compound survey
minute (notice the vowel change)
refuse (notice the consonant change)
Bring to class a list of words that you have heard mispronounced in your
classes. Be sure that you can pronounce them correctly.
=Exercise 28=
The following words are frequently mispronounced. Divide them into
syllables, mark the accent, and pronounce carefully.
municipal exquisite champion accurately
interesting gondola inquiry Genoa
influence finance inexplicable alias
illustrate deficit despicable expert
inventory pretense mischievous impious
alternate dirigible perfume detail