To correct these, and similar errors of articulation, arising from a careless utterance of the elementary sounds, the tables of articulation in the "PRACTICE," at the end of the System, are prepared for the reader. Their object is, by frequent practice, to give a habit of clear articulation of certain sounds, syllables, and combinations that are generally slurred over. In practice, I find the greatest carelessness prevailing in the utterance of the following sounds, which I therefore single out for exercise-the numerals indicating the required sound have reference to the Table of Tonic Elements. 3 3 a.-The tonic sound of a, as in at, in the SYLLABLES AND TERMINATIONS al-ant-able ar-ance-ative. EXAMPLES. Articulatefatal, . particular, arrogant, arrogance, honorable, restorative, . not ar-ro-gunce. not hon-o-rubble. res-to-ra-tive, not res-to-rutive. [See Table of Articulation, No. 1.] NOTE. The indefinite article a should never have the long 4 slender sound of the vowel, as in ale, but the open sound, as in 3 at. It is exceedingly bad, (and at the same time very common,) to say, a man, a book. 4 sarcenet, . sarse-net, EXAMPLES. not reb-ble. not sarse-nut, nor sarse-nit. not pru-dunt. THE prudence, pru-dence, . not pru-dunce. contentedness, con-tent-ed-ness, not con-ten-ted-nuss. sobriety,. so-bri-ety, not so-bri-utty. [See Table No. 2.] er.-The borrowed sound of the joined to the liquid r, making the syllable er. 9 This sound is between the e in met and the u in curl. It is a vulgarity to sound verse as vurse, mercy as murcy. 9 9 The correct sound of è is attained by striking the accent lightly, and without dwelling on the er; whereas, in ūr, as in curd, the sound is more open, and heavier. [See Table No. 4.] NOTE.-The definite article the must never have the long sound of e, as in thee, except before a vowel or a silent h. 6 1. The short sound of as in sin, ci-ty, in the TERMINATIONS in-ity-il-ity-itive-ible, and others of similar form. ir.-The borrowed sound of i joined to the liquid r, making 9 the syllable ir distinct from ur, as in sir, which is a lighter and closer sound than cur. Virtue must not be called vurtue, nor third thurd, &c. [See Table No. 4.] 7 -The full and round, open sound of " in the or.-The intermediate sound of o,with r in the termination or, unaccented, which must be kept distinct from ur. 9 u.-The diphthongal sound of ü, like iu, as in pure, has the same sound as iew in view, in the following SYLLABLES AND TERMINATIONS: ue-uit-ude-uce-use-uke-ume-une-ure, (ac· cented)-ual-unar-ular-uble. When any of the above terminations are compounded with r; and when ure is compounded with s, as in sure, and its derivations, in which cases the pure tonic sound of the u prevails, C like oo in poor, but less broad somewhat, and more rapidly accented, as must be carefully distinguished from diphthongal sounds, and the sound of each vowel be duly given, as ea, as in area (air-y-a.) ies, as in species (speeshy-es,) series (seery-es.) io, as in violate (vi-o-late,) vi-o-lence, &c. Having gone through the Tables of Practice in the above sounds, let the reader practise the CONTRAST TABLES, to make the distinction between them clearer to the ear. The above terminations and syllables are those on which the greatest carelessness exists in the articulation of the tonic sounds, and therefore I have selected them for practice; but it is equally necessary to observe the due sounds of the tonics, whether they occur in commencing, middle, or terminating syllables. In reading the tables, be particular first to get the correct tonic sound of the vowel, as given in the keyword, and bear in mind that articulation of a sound |