On some Facts relating to the Science of Phonetics. 183 



at p. 396 of the last volume of the Philosophical Magazine. 

 We shall have, for instance, to reduce / 5 (w m ) to the form 

 2 m (A 5 ). To determine w m we must employ a new equation 

 of finite differences, viz. 



W x+1 - 3.2 2, V* +1 + 2 = 0, 

 when w = 1 and u has the same meaning as at the page last 

 cited. Were it desirable, it would not be difficult to gene- 

 ralize this equation of differences so as to obtain the corre- 

 sponding one for functions of any degree. 



Grecian Chambers, Devereux Court, 

 July 20, 1B46. 



XXXIV. Facts and Observations relating to the Science of 

 Phonetics (No. IV.). By R. G. Latham, M.D., Cant.* 



IN a previous Number it was stated that the mutes s and z 

 had certain peculiarities. In explaining the nature of 

 these it is necessary to enter into some points of classification 

 and nomenclature. 



The sounds p, b, t, d, Jc, g, s, z are called lene sounds (or 

 Lenes), as opposed to f v, ]?, "S, x, y, <r, £, which are called 

 aspirate sounds (or Aspirates). This division is as old as the 

 time of the classical grammarians, and is generally recognised. 

 Hence the division, — 



Lene. Aspirate. 



p . b f v 



t . d J? 3 



k . g x 7 



s . z <r £ 



By the side of this should be placed the division of sounds 

 into what is called explosive and continuous. If we isolate the 

 sound of p* as much as possible, so as to join with it no vowel 

 whatsoever, we find that the articulation is only of a momen- 

 tary duration, "taking place during a sudden change in the 

 conformation of the mouth, and not capable of prolongation." 

 (Midler's Physiology, Baly's translation, p. 1045.) The same 

 is the case with the sounds of b, t, d, k, g. 



In contrast to this we may isolate such a sound as/'. Here 

 the sound can be " prolonged, ad libitum, as long as a parti- 

 cular disposition of the mouth and a constant expiration are 

 maintained" (Ibid.). 



It is upon these differences that the names explosive (stre- 

 pitus inconiinuus explosivus) and continuous (strepitus conthiuus) 

 are given by even the earlier writers upon these subjects j and, 

 * Communicated by the Author. 



