12' Dr. Hall on the 



palate. In all, the posterior apertures of the nostrils are effec- 

 tually closed by the pendulous vail of the palate being drawn 

 upwards, and accurately applied to their posterior apertures. 

 And of course, those persons whose palate is perforated, or in 

 whom the pendulous vail of the palate is imperfect, as sometimes 

 arises from disease, are more or less incapacitated from pronouncing 

 these letters, the expired air being no longer intercepted, as it 

 ought to be, in its course. 

 Of the second class, are 



F ^^^^ S 



y' the and TH, and r^- 



soft 



In the articulation of these letters, the posterior orifices of the 

 nostrils are required to be closed, whilst, in the first pair, the 

 compressed air is continually forced between the teeth and upper 

 lip ; in the second, between the teeth and the tongue ; and in 

 the third, between the point of the tongue and the anterior part 

 of the palate. 



From this view of the subject, it will be readily apprehended, 

 how the substitution of D or T for the TH, by foreigners, is so 

 remarkable ; for it is no less than the substitution of a total in- 

 terruption, for a mere compression of the air in its exit from the 

 chest. 



Of the third class of letters, are 



M, N, L, R. 



In the enunciation of these letters, the expired air is only very 

 slightly compressed, the nostrils being left freely open. It is for 

 this very reason, probably, that these letters have been termed 

 liquids^ as flowing without obstacle. And it is by this circum- 

 stance, principally, extraordinary as it may appear, that the 

 letter M differs from the letters B and P, for they are all equally 

 labial ; and that the letter N differs from T and D, for they are 

 all equally formed by placing the point of the tongue near the 

 roots of the upper teeth. 



Of the/owri/i and last class, are 



H, the Greek X, W, and Y. 



