MARKS. THE system of marking pronunciation adopted here is borrowed from Professor Bain's Higher English Grammar. It is based on the original suggestions of Dr. Thomas Clark. It possesses the important advantage of indicating accent and quality of vowel sound together. It is not intended that the pupils should be oppressed or distracted with much regular study of these marks. By careful attention to the cases that arise in the lessons, they will quickly and easily associate the marks and the sounds represented. An occasional reference to these explanations may be found quite sufficient. (1) á, é, í, ó, ú. The acute mark () placed over a vowel shows that the vowel is long and also accented. For example: mán is for "main," or "mane"; mén = "mean," or "mien " "mine" (in any sense); món = moan”; mùn = "moon." Before the vowel ú the sound of "y" is often inserted; as, tyún min = = 66 tune." (2) ù, è, ì, ô, ù. The grave mark () placed over a vowel shows that the vowel is short and also accented. For example: màn "man ;" men = "men"; pin “ pin ;” gòn "gone"; fun "fun." = = (3) ê, î, û. The acute and grave marks are combined (^) to indicate long vowels pronounced more quickly than usual. The last, ú, is most common; as púl "pull." Compare púl = "pool." = = (4) u, ō. The horizontal mark () placed over a and o indicates the vowel sounds in "far" (fär) and "all" (ōl). (5) ă, ě, ž, ŏ, ú. The crescent (") placed over a vowel shows that the vowel is long (1) but unaccented: as rál-wă ("rail'-way "), ĕ-jèct. The last of these, u, may also express û out of accent; as, hand-ful, fül-fil-ment. (6) a, e, i, o, us The vowels that are not marked at all are short and unaccented. Frequently, however, the accented syllable alone is marked; it being assumed that in those cases no further guidance is necessary. (7) ä and ö may represent the vowel sounds in far (für) and all (ol), when out of accent: as artist, but ärtistic; ōtum (autumn), but ötùmnal (autumnal). (8) The acute mark (') placed after a syllable shows that the accent falls on that syllable. But it does not indicate any quality of the vowel. For example: com-plained', al'-most, quarter. The full marking for these words would be: komplánd, ōl-most, kwōrt-er. * THE Northmen were a German race. Like all the nations who now people Europe, they came from Asia, and made their way along the eastern limits of our continent, till they turned aside to follow the line of route that each tribe chose for itself. The special German nation to whom the natives of Scandinavia belong was early known as that of the Goths. These people, in very remote times-before they had any written history to fix the date, had pushed |