these words in concert until the true sound of each vowel is fully appreciated. The first vowel is called broad a; marked in the dictionaries with two dots below the letter, thus, a as in all. We have little difficulty with this sound. Avoid, however, making broad a like short Ŏ. Do not say woter for water, dotter for daughter.

The second vowel in the table requires special attention. It is called the long Italian ä, and is marked with two dots above, thus, ä as in ärm. This sound is correctly given when followed by r (as in fär, chärm); but there are forty or more words in our language in which the broad sound of a as in all, or the short sound of ǎ as in hǎt, is frequently substituted for the sound of the long Italian ä. Do not say laugh or laugh for läugh. Let the ear be trained to catch the correct vowel sound, as heard in ärm, and then secure the same sound in the list of words given below. The only way to secure accuracy in the pronunciation of these doubtful words is frequent repetition, until it becomes a habit to speak them correctly at all times.

The next vowel sound that suffers at the hands, or rather the tongues, of most people, even of those liberally educated, is the short Italian ȧ. This vowel is the same sound in quality as the long Italian ä, but less in quantity, i.e., the vowel in åsk is sounded the same as the vowel in ärm; the only difference is that the former is shorter than the latter.

To acquire the correct vowel quality in the pronuncia

tion of these words, a sustained sound of long Italian ä should be made, until the ear catches the precise shade of sound, then a much shorter sound of the same quality should be made, and used in the pronunciation of the words. Strict attention to the quality of vowel sound used, and frequent comparisons with the long-drawn Italian ä sound, and frequent repetition of the list of words given below are all the directions and cautions needed, to enable any one to pronounce these frequently used words correctly.

Do not say ǎsk or äsk for åsk.

The short Italian å is

found, chiefly, in monosyllabic words ending in ff, ss, sk, sp, st, ft, nce, nt.

The third vowel in the table is short ǎ as in căt, băd. We occasionally hear this sound pronounced like short ě, thus, cět for căt. When short ǎ is followed by rr (as in arrow) or by r and a vowel (as in chărity), it is often incorrectly sounded like â, as in câre.

The fourth vowel in the table is frequently mispronounced, and requires special attention. This vowel is marked with a caret over the letter, and is called by some orthöepists the caret â, by others the circumflex â, and by still others the medial â. In some of the northern sections of our country we hear the vowel pronounced like long a,

while the colored population of the South, with rare exceptions, give it the sound of Italian ä. Observe that it is neither parent nor pärent, but pârent; neither hāre nor här, but hâir.

We seldom hear any error in the enunciation of the fifth vowel in the table, long ē as in ēve. When followed by r (as in ear, fear) some careless speakers give the vowel a sound that verges toward short ĭ, while others pronounce the vowel with a sound resembling caret â.

LIST OF WORDS FOR PRACTICE.

fear queer glēam rear

hear tear

believe dreary appearing experience receive antique lenient inferior

ravine caprice careering material

query

weary

machine period Presbyterian marine retreating superior

The sixth vowel in the table, short ě as in mět, is occasionally mispronounced like long ã in such words as measure, pleasure. When short ě is followed by r, it is frequently given a sound like caret â. Do not say pâril for pěril nor mâry for merry.

The seventh vowel in the table is called the tilde ẽ and ĩ, or, perhaps a better name, the waved ẽ and ĩ. It is the most delicate vowel sound in the language, and is frequently mispronounced. The error in the pronunciation of this vowel is in making it like the û in ûrge; thus, we

are accustomed to pronounce term as though it were spelled tûrm. The not overdone difference between earn fir these two sets of words indicates the distincûrn fûr

tion between the correct and incorrect sound of the element. The è in term is a more delicate and closer sound than the û in ûrge. The soft palate and root of the tongue are brought closer together, and the whole surface of the tongue is lifted nearer the roof of the mouth. Do not pronounce her like the first syllable of the word hurry, nor the word sir like the first syllable of surround.

This vowel is always followed by the consonant r, and is usually found in words where the r is not followed by another r, or where the r is not followed by a vowel. Verbs having this sound almost always retain it when inflected or suffixed, even though the r be doubled, as confēr, conferring. Examples where we have short ĕ and i when the r is followed by another r-fěrry, Jěrry, měrry, běrry, mirror. Examples where we have short ĕ and I when the r is followed by a vowel-pěril, spirit, měrit, věry, virulent.

The eighth vowel in the table, short I as in pin, is usually pronounced correctly. It is sometimes, however, carelessly pronounced like long e when followed by the sound of sh, as in dish, fish, wish.

The ninth vowel in the table is a source of trouble to

most people. I find that many speakers are at fault in

spirit didactic

peninsula

pronouncing a few words that take the long as their vowel; for example, boot, root, hoof. As a rule, we are apt to shorten the quantity of the long oo; and as a corrective the following words ought to be pronounced frequently.

What we have said about the long oo may be repeated with much more emphasis in the consideration of the short oo. In the case of the long oo there is a tendency in a few words, like hoof and roof, to give the vowel the sound of short ŭ; but in words in which short oo is the vowel we more frequently hear the words pronounced with the sound of short ŭ than the proper vowel sound, thus, bůk for book, cuk for cook. Pronounce frequently the following words, and give to the vowels the shortened form of oo in food.

LIST OF WORDS FOR PRACTICE.

The tenth vowel in the table, short Ŏ as in ox, is pronounced by careless speakers like short ŭ in such words as from, of, was. When short Ŏ is followed by rr, or by r and a vowel, there is a tendency to make it like the broad Avoid saying maurrow for morrow, aurigin for ŏrigin.

The eleventh vowel in the table, short ŭ as in up, is

usually pronounced correctly.