186].] 319 [Consonants. 



accurately. For, in the formation of the labials, not only the lips 

 but also the upper teeth are active ; in that of the dentals, besides 

 the teeth, the palate and the tongue have an important part; indeed, 

 in the pronunciation of some of the consonants of the second station 

 the teeth have apparently no share whatever. Hence, as may be 

 seen in the above scheme, some of the phonologists call the conso- 

 nants of the second station palatals or Unguals, or also linguo-palatals 

 or linguo-dentals, and still others (Sproat), gingivals or linguo-gin- 

 givals; yet, not a single one of these terms is free from objections; 

 for the tongue and the palate are as much active in the formation of 

 the so-called gutturals, as in that of the dentals; hence, the gutturals 

 too, are called palatals by some. However, inasmuch as no short, 

 convenient term can be found, which combines all the attributes of 

 each station, I think that we can do no better than to retain the old 

 terms which single out one of the leading characteristics of each station, 

 viz., the labials the lips, the dentals the teeth, and the fjufturah 

 the throat. The last of these terras seems the most objectionable, 

 inasmuch as the so-called guttural consonants have nothing at all to 

 do with the throat proper ; but as the term throat has usually a ver}- 

 vague meaning, and is frequently applied to anything that has refer- 

 ence to the back part of the mouth, I deem myself justified, on this 

 ground, to retain this appellation. Dr. Briicke obviates all these 

 difficulties by calling the labials, consonants of the first order, the 

 dentals, consonants of the second order, c^c. Still, it is desirable 

 that we should have short, convenient words for this purpose.] 



§ 11. In each of the three stations, described above, three kinds of 

 consonants may be produced, differing from each otli^r in degrees of 

 solidity, and which may be called hard, soft, and fluid consonants. 

 The hard consonants are formed by keeping the gates firmly shut 

 and exploding them with a blow ; the so/t consonants by relaxing the 

 pressure and forcing them open by breathing; and the fluid conso- 

 nants by keeping the gates ajar, or only keeping them partially 

 clo.sed, thus allowing an uninterrupted passage to the blow or breath- 

 ing, and yet imprinting upon it the characteristic nature of each 

 station. Of the hard consonants there is only one species, because 

 they are blown, and a blow, in the articulation of the consonants, is 

 never accompanied by the sound of the voice ; but of the so/t conso- 

 nants we have two kinds, viz., such as are formed of mute breath, 

 and such where the breath is rendered sonorous on passing through 

 the glottis. Of the fluid consonants, finally, we have three species, 

 because they may either be formed by blowing, or by breathing, and 



