§ 7. An improper diphthong is that in which only one vowel is sounded; as ea in eagle; ei in forfeit. § 8. A triphthong is the union of three vowels in the same syllable; as eau in beau; ieu in adieu. § 9. A proper triphthong is that in which all the vowels are sounded; as uoy in buoy. § 10. An improper triphthong is that in which one or two of the vowels are sounded; as eau in beau, ious in captious. § 11. DIPHTHONGS. Diphthongs commencing with a. The diphthong aa has the short sound of a; as in Balaam, Isaac, Canaan; except in Baal, Gaal, in which each vowel has a distinct sound. Ae has generally the long sound of e; as in Caesar, pœan. Sometimes it has the short sound of e; as in diæresis, cætera. In ay, meaning yes, a has its middle or Italian sound, and y the sound of open e. Ai is generally sounded like long a; as in main, pain, rain. In final syllables unaccented, it often takes the close sound of i; as in certain, curtain, mountain, villain. It is sounded like short e in saith, again, said, against. In Britain, like short u. Ao in the word gaol is pronounced like ai, and the g like j. Now it is usually written jail. In the adjective extraordinary and its derivatives, the a is silent according to Webster. Aw has always the broad sound of a in hall. Ay like ai has the sound of open a ; as in dismay, may, nay; in says, it has the sound of short e. Diphthongs commencing with e. Ei and ey are usually sounded like long a in fate; as veil, reign, neighbor, survey, purvey. Ei is sounded like e long; as in deceit, receipt, neither, either ; FIRST COURSE. What is an improper diphthong? What is a triphthong? What, a proper triphthong? What, an improper? SECOND COURSE. What sounds have the diphthongs beginning with a? What, with e? of long i in height, sleight, Oneida; and of short i in unaċcented syllables; as in foreign, sovereign. Ey is sounded like long a; as in convey, survey, prey; in accented syllables like long e; as in medley, money, valley, alley. Ea is sounded like e in me; as in creature, bearer; like short e in weather, dead, meadow; like long Italian a; as in heart, like short e in pageant. Ee has the long sound; as in meek, need, sweet. The contractions ne'er and e'er, are pronounced as if spelled nāyŭṛ, ayur. Eo is sounded like long e in people; like e short in leopard; like long o in yeomanry; like short o in George, and like short u in dungeon. Eu and ew are sounded like u in rude; as in knew, grew, few, new, deuce, feud; and ew is sometimes sounded like oo; as in brew; like o long in sew, strew, shew. Diphthongs commencing with i. Ia is sounded like ya in filial; like short i in marriage, carriage. Ie is sounded like long i in die, lie; like long e in relief, grief, thief; like short e in friend and its compounds. Io when the i is accented, forms a separate syllable; as violence, violet. The terminations tion, cion, and sion are usually pronounced shun; cious and tious, shus; ion in minion, pinion, is pronounced yun; and when s or x precedes, tion is pronounced chun; as in question, mixtion. Diphthongs commencing with o. Oa pronounced like long o in coal, boat, load, road, goad; like broad o in groat, broad, abroad. Oe is pronounced like long o in hoe, goes, roe, doe; like oo in shoe, canoe; like u in does. Oi has the sound of broad a and that of short e; as in coil, soil, toil, broil, boil, rejoice, etc. Oi, when the o is accented, is sounded distinctly, as in stoic, heroic. Oy is generally sounded like oi; as in decoy, joy, alloy; choir is usually sounded as if spelled quire. SECOND COURSE. What, with i? What, with o? Oo has the slender sound of o in coo, too, room, fool, woo, mood, moon, food; of u short; as in blood, flood; of o long in floor, door; and nearly that of long u in good, food, wood. 66 Ou is generally a proper diphthong, uniting the sound of close o, and that of u sounded as slender o or oo; as in bound, found, sound, ounce, thou.” Ou is sometimes an improper diphthong having six different sounds. It has the sound of short u in flourish, young, tough ; of slender o or ou in through, you, soup; of broad a in thought, bought, ought; of short o in cough, trough, thought; of oo shortened, in could, would, should; of long o in dough, though, four, court. Ow is generally sounded like ou; as in down, crown, town ; sometimes it is sounded like long o, as in mow, sow, know. Diphthongs commencing with u. U is sounded like w in the proper diphthongs ua, ue, ui, uo, uy; as suavity, queen, quiet, quote, obloquy. Uah when an improper diphthong, is sounded like Italian a; as guard, guardian; like obscure e as in victuals; like short a; as in guarantee, piquant; and like long u; as in mantuamaker. When an improper diphthong, it is also sounded like long u; as in hue, due; like short e as in guest; like obscure e ; as in antique, league. Ui, when an improper diphthong, is sounded like i; as in guile, guide; like short i; as in guilt, conduit; like long u; as in sluice, juice, suit. Uy, when an improper diphthong, is sounded like long y; as in buy; like long e; as in plaguy. § 12. TRIPHTHONGS. Triphthongs commencing with a. Awe is sounded like broad a; as in hall, fall. Triphthongs commencing with e. Eau is sounded like long o; as in beau, flambeau; like long u in beauty and its derivations. In eou, the e is sounded dis SECOND COURSE. What, with u? What sounds have triphthongs beginning with What, with e? a? tinctly from the ou, e having a long sound, and ou the sound of short u; as in gorgeous, extraneous. Ewe is sounded like yu in ewe. Eye is sounded like long i. Triphthongs commencing with i. Ieu and iew are sounded like long u; as in view, review, lieu, purlieu. Ious is sounded like yus; as in bilious, contagious, religious. When a liquid precedes it, it is sounded like short i and u; as in various, curious. Triphthongs commencing with o. Que occurs in words derived from the French language, and is sounded like oo in manœuvre. Ow is sounded like long o. Triphthongs commencing with u. Uai and uay are sounded like way; as in quaint, qual, guaiacum Uraguay. "Uaw is sounded like wa in water; as in squaw, a female Indian.” "Uoi and uoy are sounded like woi; as in quoit, buoy." FORMS OF LETTERS. 13. In the English language, three kinds of letters are used: 1. The Roman, which is far the most common. 2. The Italic. 3. The old English. 4. Script. Each of these kinds has two forms, small letters and capitals. The body of every essay is written in small letters; capitals are only used as marks of distinction. FIRST COURSE. How many kinds of letters are used in English? How many forms nas each kind? In what form is the body of essays written? For what are capitals used? SECOND COURSE. What sounds have triphthongs beginning with i? What, with o? What, with u? RULES FOR THE USE OF CAPITAL LETTERS. RULE 1. § 14. The first word that begins an essay, the first after every period, and the first in every line of poetry, should begin with a capital letter. False use of Capitals. a lax theology is the natural parent of a lax morality. the evils which overtake nations, are the just judgments of the almighty. cursed is the man who trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm. 'tis sweet, in the green Spring, to gaze upon the wakening fields around; winds whisper, waters prattle, from the ground breathed up from blossoms of a thousand dyes. RULE 2. The first word of interrogatives should begin with a capital letter; unless it is closely connected with a preceding question. False use, etc. what reason did he assign for such conduct? why did you not attend the meeting last evening? was horace there? did you ever hear mr. colburn speak? how is your father's health? RULE 3. Capital letters are used after exclamation points, except when they do not require a pause equal to that of a period. False use, etc. my friend! this conduct amazes me! bless the lord, o my soul! and forget not all his benefits! what is more amiable than virtue! who can sufficiently express the goodness of our creator! SECOND COURSE. What is the first rule for capitals? What, the second? What, the |