They are divided into vowels and consonants.

A vowel is a letter that can be perfectly sounded by itself. The vowels are _a, e, i, o, u,_ and sometimes _w_ and _y_. _W_ and _y_ are consonants when they begin a word or syllable; but in every other situation they are vowels.

A consonant is a letter that cannot be perfectly sounded without the help of a vowel; as, _b, d, f, l_. All letters except the vowels are consonants.

Consonants are divided into mutes and semi-vowels.

The mutes cannot be sounded _at all_ without the aid of a vowel. They are _b, p, t, d, k_, and _c_ and _g_ hard.

The semi-vowels have an imperfect sound of themselves. They are _f, l, m, n, r, v, s, z, x_, and _c_ and _g_ soft.

Four of the semi-vowels, namely, _l, m, n, r_, are called _liquids_, because they readily unite with other consonants, and flow, as it were, into their sounds.

A diphthong is the union of _two_ vowels, p.r.o.nounced by a single impulse of the voice; as _oi_ in voice, _ou_ in sound.

A triphthong is the union of _three_ vowels p.r.o.nounced in like manner; as, _eau_ in beau, _iew_ in view.

A _proper_ diphthong has _both_ the vowels sounded; as, _ou_ in ounce.

An _improper_ diphthong has only _one_ of the vowels sounded; as, _oa_ in boat.

II. SYLLABLES. A Syllable is a distinct sound, uttered by a single impulse of the voice; as, _a, an, ant_.

A word of one syllable, is termed a Monosyllable; a word of two syllables, a Dissyllable; a word of three syllables, a Trisyllable; a word of four or more syllables, a Polysyllable.

III. WORDS. Words are articulate sounds, used by common consent, as signs of our ideas.

Words are of two sorts, primitive and derivative.

A _primitive_ word is that which cannot be reduced to a simpler word in the language; as, _man, good_.

A _derivative_ word is that which may be reduced to a simpler word; as, _manful, goodness_.

There is little or no difference between derivative and compound words.

The terminations or added syllables, such as _ed, es, ess, est, an, ant, en, ence, ent, dom, hood, ly, ous, ful, ness_, and the like, were, originally, distinct and separate words, which, by long use, have been contracted, and made to coalesce with other words.

OF THE SOUNDS OF THE LETTERS.

A.--_A_ has four sounds; the long; as in _name, basin_; the broad; as in _ball, wall_; the short; as in _f.a.got, gla.s.s_; and the flat, Italian sound; as in _bar, farther_. The improper diphthong, _aa_, has the short sound of a in _Balaam, Canaan, Isaac_; and the long sound of _a_ in _Baal, Gaal, Aaron_.

The Latin diphthong, _ae_, has the long sound of _e_ in _aenigma, Caesar_, and some other words. But many authors reject this useless excrescence of antiquity, and write, _enigma, Cesar_.

The diphthong, _ai_, has the long sound of _a_; as in _pail, sail_; except in _plaid, said, again, raillery, fountain, Britain_, and some others.

_Au_ is sounded like broad _a_ in _taught_, like flat _a_ in _aunt_, like long _o_ in _hautboy_, and like short _o_ in _laurel_.

_Aw_ has always the sound of broad _a_; as in _bawl, crawl_.

_Ay_ has the long sound of _a_; as in _pay, delay_.

B.--_B_ has only one sound; as in _baker, number, chub_.

_B_ is silent when it follows _m_ in the same syllable; as in _lamb_, &c. except in _acc.u.mb, rhomb_, and _succ.u.mb_. It is also silent before _t_ in the same syllable; as in _doubt, debtor, subtle_, &c.

C.--_C_ sounds like _k_ before _a, o, u, r, l, t_, and at the end of syllables; as in _cart, cottage, curious, craft, tract, cloth; victim, flaccid_. It has the sound of _s_ before _e, i_, and _y_; as in _centre, cigar, mercy. C_ has the sound of _sh_ when followed by a diphthong, and is preceded by the accent, either primary or secondary; as in _social, p.r.o.nunciation_, &c.; and of _z_ in _discern, sacrifice, sice, suffice_.

It is mute in _arbuscle, czar, czarina, endict, victuals, muscle_.

_Ch_ is commonly sounded like _tsh_; as in _church, chin_; but in words derived from the ancient languages, it has the sound of _k_; as in _chemist, chorus_; and likewise in foreign names; as in _Achish, Enoch_.

In words from the French, _ch_ sounds like _sh_; as in _chaise, chevalier_; and also like _sh_ when preceded by _l_ or _n_; as in _milch, bench, clinch_, &c.

_Ch_ in _arch_, before a vowel, sounds like _k_; as in _arch-angel_, except in _arched, archery, archer; archenemy_; but before a consonant, it sounds like _tsh_; as in _archbishop. Ch_ is silent in _schedule, schism, yacht, drachm_.

D.--_D_ has one uniform sound; as in _death, bandage_. It sounds like _dj_ or _j_ when followed by long _u_ preceded by the accent; as in _educate, verdure_. It also sounds like _j_ in _grandeur, soldier_.

The termination, _ed_, in adjectives and participial adjectives, retains its distinct sound; as, a _wick-ed_ man, a _learn-ed_ man, _bless-ed_ are the meek; but in verbs the _e_ is generally dropped; as, _pa.s.sed, walked, flashed, aimed, rolled_, &c. which are p.r.o.nounced, _past, walkt, flasht, aimd, rold_.

E.--_E_ has a long sound; as in _scheme, severe_; a short sound; as in _men, tent_; and sometimes the sound of flat _a_; as in _sergeant_; and of short _i_; as in _yes, pretty, England_, and generally in the unaccented terminations, _es, et, en_.

F.--_F_ has one unvaried sound; as in _fancy, m.u.f.fin_; except in _of_, which, when uncompounded, is p.r.o.nounced _ov_. A wive's portion, a calve's head, are improper. They should be, _wife's_ portion, _calf's_ head.

G.--_G_ has two sounds. It is hard before _a, o, u, l_, and _r_, and at the end of a word; as in _gay, go, gun, glory; bag, snug_. It is soft before _e, i_, and _y_; as in _genius, ginger, Egypt_. Exceptions; _get, gewgaw, gimlet_, and some others. G is silent before _n_, as in _gnash_.

H.--_H_ has an articulate sound; as in _hat, horse, hull_. It is silent after _r_; as in _rhetoric, rhubarb_.

I.--_I_ has a long sound; as in _fine_; and a short one; as in _fin_.

Before _r_ it is often sounded like _u_ short; as in _first, third_; and in other words, like short _e_; as in _birth, virtue_. In some words it has the sound of long _e_; as in _machine, profile_.

J.--_J_ has the sound of soft _g_; except in _hallelujah_, in which it is p.r.o.nounced like _y_.

K.--_K_ has the sound of _c_ hard, and is used before _e, i_, and _y_, where _c_ would be soft; as _kept, skirt, murky_. It is silent before _n_; as in _knife, knell, knocker_.

L.--_L_ has always a soft liquid sound; as in _love, billow_. It is often silent; as in _half, talk, almond_.

M.--_M_ has always the same sound; as in _murmur, monumental_; except in _comptroller_, which is p.r.o.nounced _controller_.

N.--_N_ has two sounds; the one pure; as in _man, net, n.o.ble_; the other a compound sound; as in _ankle, banquet, distinct_, &c., p.r.o.nounced _angkl, bangkwet_. _N_ final is silent when preceded by _m_; as in _hymn, autumn_.

O.--_O_ has a long sound; as in _note, over_; and a short one; as in _not, got_. It has the sound of _u_ short; as in _son, attorney, doth, does_; and generally in the terminations, _op, ot, or, on, om, ol, od_, &c.

P.--_P_ has but one uniform sound; as in _pin, slipper_; except in _cupboard, clapboard_, where it has the sound of _b_. It is mute in _psalm, Ptolemy, tempt, empty, corps, raspberry, and receipt_.

_Ph_ has the sound of _f_ in _philosophy, Philip_; and of _v_ in _nephew, Stephen_.

Q.--_Q_ is sounded like _k_, and is always followed by _u_ p.r.o.nounced like _w_; as in _quadrant, queen, conquest_.

R.--_R_ has a rough sound; as in _Rome, river, rage_; and a smooth one; as in _bard, card, regard_. In the unaccented termination _re_, the _r_ is sounded after the e; as _in fibre, centre_.