TafeLJ 345 [October. 



that while the non-sonant fluid consonants only combine with the 

 hard, and the sonant fluid consonants with the soft, the semi-vowels 

 combine as readily with the former as with the latter, with this dif- 

 ference only, that when they are preceded by a hard consonant, the 

 aspirate which usually follows these sounds renders the first part of 

 the semi-vowels mute, while they are sonant from the very first, 

 when they are preceded by a soft consonant. Compare plough and 

 blow, true and drew, crow and groiu. We thus obtain with the semi- 

 vowel r, in the beginning of words, the combinations pr and br in 

 prow and brow, tr and dr in true and drew, cr and f/r in croio and 

 (/row. At the end of words, we find rp in ha7'p, and rb in barb, 

 and herb, rt in part, and rd in herd, rk in park, and r<j in berg. 

 With the semi- vowel I, we find in the beginning of words the follow- 

 ing combinations, viz., pi in plough and bl in bloio {tl and dl in the 

 English and the European languages in general only occur in com- 

 positions, as in cutlass, and as medials, in Dudlei/, motley, but they 

 are of favorite occurrence in the old Mexican language), kl in clown, 

 gl in glow. At the end of words we find Ip in help and lb in bulb. 

 It in salt and Id in ijield (in could, should, would, I is quiescent). 

 There seems to be a disaflfection in the English language between the 

 guttural hard and soft consonants and /; inasmuch as I before k when 

 preceded by a and o is invariably rendered quiescent, as in stalk, 

 chalk, caulk, and folk, Polk. It is, however, pronounced in yolk, 

 and after e, i, u, as in elk, milk, bulk. When I is followed by g, 

 this is either converted into a sibilant, as in bulge, bilge, or else it is 

 cast out, as in follow (Germ, folgeii), gallows (Germ. Galgen), bel- 

 lows (Germ. Balg), billow (Dut. bolge). The same thing we notice 

 in the combinations of r with g, where, with the exception of berg 

 in ice-berg, g is either made soft, as in barge, merge, spurge, or else 

 it is ejected, as in morroio (Germ. Morgeii), borrow (Germ, borgen), 

 sorrow (Germ. Sorge\ Still, we find the combinations of ty and rg 

 as medials and in compositions, as in fulgor, toll-gate, bargaiu, cargo. 

 With regard to the combinations of the nasal semi-vowels and the 

 mutes, the English language is opposed to having any nasal preceded 

 by a mute, except in the middle of words, where we find indignant, 

 figment, titmouse, &c. Thus, in tmesis, imcumatics, know, gnaw, 

 the mutes are invariably rendered quiescent. At the end of words, 

 the nasals manifest a decided affinity for their respective mutes. 

 Thus we find m followed by /> and b, as in lamp and slumber ; n by 

 / and d, as in Jlint and sand ; ng or the guttural n by k and //, as in 

 shank undfnger. When mb and ng are final, b and g arc always 



