2. The sound which is expressed by the letter a in the word hall, by au in taught, by o in het, and by ou in sought.
The expression of this sound depends on the same parts of the tongue and fauces as the former ; only the root of the tongue is a little more arched upwards.
3. The sound expressed by o in vote, and by oa in beat.
To give this sound its expression, the back part of the tongue is still a little more arched upwards than in the former.
The expression is a good deal modified by varying the size of the orifice of the lips. In common conversation, it is always pronounced with a small opening of the lips, which gives it a much more hollow expression, than when the mouth is open, as during laughing ; and we may observe, that the orifice is always less than during the utterance of either of the two preceding sounds.
4. The sound expressed by a in rare, by ai in wart, by ay in day, by e in ell, by ea in pear, and by ei iii feign.
In this sound, as well as in the three preceding, the breath escapes entirely by the mouth. The edge of the tonkae on each side is brought into contact with the teeth of the upper jaw, as far forwards as the small grinders ; its upper surface is formed into an arch, cor responding to the roof of the mouth, but separated to a certain distance from it ; and in the channel thus formed, the air passes forwards, and escapes between the tip of the tongue and the fore-teeth of the upper jaw. The expression is not altered by shutting the nostrils, nor by varying the relative position of the jaws, nor by changing the dimensions of the orifice of the lips, provided they be not entirely shut.
5. The sound expressed by the letter a in pale, by ai in fay, and by e in elicit or devout.
The expression of this sound depends on the same parts as the former; only, the surface of the tongue is brought a little nearer to the roof of the mouth, so that the channel through which the air passes is smaller.
6. The sound expressed by the letters ea in ease, by ee in sneeze and //ace, by ei in receive, and by ie in be lieve and niece.
To give the expression of this sound, the tongue is still farther elevated than in the former. Its edges are in contact with the teeth of the upper jaw, as far for wards as the eye-teeth, and its upper surface is applied to the roof the mouth, except along the middle, where a small funnel is left for the breath, opening behind the incisor-teeth.
The different degrees of elevation which are given to the tongue in the production of these three sounds, may not only be seen, but distinctly felt, by laying the finger on the surface of this organ when an attempt is made to utter them.
7. The sound expressed by the letter o in lase, by oo in pool, and lease, by ou in wound, by u in pii//, and by ue in true.
This expression seems to depend on the same parts as the 3d ; only the root of the tongue is raised so high, that its posterior surface is almost perpendicular; and the bre th to esealunn Irom the throat, is made to pass direeth towards tl c bark part of the roof of the mouth It is modified, too, exactly like the 3d sound, V,‘ t ananons in the size of the on of the mouth.
8 The sound cap' essed by the kite, e in f- under, by in bird, tiv o in tedndre, and and by u in run.
It is impossible to d .setibc Nt it h precision the confor mation of the parts ttitl in the mouth, upon which this depends. Toe root of the tongue is not so truth elevated as in the Ist, 2d, 3d, and 7th sounds, nor the mild c part of it so niuch as in the 4th, 5th, and 6th. Its omit r surface is flat, and almost horizontal, and it is not necessary that its edges should touch the upper teeth. The breath t scopes Entirely by the mouth ; su that stop pin; the nostro, dot s not produce the least mouilleation in the e rtression.
9. T1 t sound expressed by the letter i, in the words inn thick gm e.
In this expression, the back part of the tongue is a lithe more ult.% ated than in the former ; so that its sur face forms a slightly inclined plane downwards and for wards. This sound appears to bear the same relation to the 8th, that the 5th does to the 4th.