TafeL] ;34g [October. 



consonants are only found at the end of syllables ; 'iigf\x\ Germ Jangfer, 

 and English compounds, e. (j. ioin<f-foote<l, ru/fh in length, ikjx in 

 stnigx ; ngsh is found in compounds, e. g. afung-shot, and ngy in 

 German compounds, e. g. Divgrhen. 



§ 24. Thus far those combinations of the semi-vowels and conso- 

 nants only have been investigated, where the semi-vuwels are nearest 

 to the vowels. I shall now exanjine the phenomena exhibited by 

 the semi-vowels, when they appear in an inverse position. In the 

 beginning of words, there is no instance whatever of a semi-vowel 

 preceding a consonant, but at the end of syllables, we sometimes find 

 a semi-vowel succeeding a consonant, as in chasm, spasm, &c. These 

 combinations I intend now to consider. It has been stated above, 

 in treating of the unmodified vowel, that it is the element animating 

 the semi-vowels, and some instances have been adduced, viz., mifrc, 

 centre, theatre, &c., where the animating principle of the semi- 

 vowel has been mistaken for a separate vowel ; for in these words it 

 is generally supposed that the final e is pronounced before the r, and 

 in order to niake the spelling and the pronunciation agree, it has 

 been proposed to spell them miter, center, theater, as has been done 

 in several other instances. In button, spoken, label, bosom, also, it 

 is usually supposed that w^e pronounce a vowel between the last two 

 consonants, while in reality, the vowel we hear is nothing else but 

 the inherent sound of the semi-vowels themselves. Nevertheless, all 

 these words are regarded as dissyllables, although their second sylla- 

 bles, as we have just seen, are formed merely by appending a semi- 

 vowel to the first syllables. Thus the semi-vowels in these words arc 

 not only in the place of vowels, but even of entire syllables : hence, 

 the apropriateness of calling them semi-vowels. 



This capacity of serving as vowels, or rather as entire syllables, is 

 always developed, in the English language, in the semi-vowels, when 

 they are not immediately connected with a vowel, as in spasm, chasm, 

 &c , where a consonant intervenes between the vowels and semi- 

 vowels, and where the letter m is pronounced in the same way, as 

 the syllable oni in blossom, bosom. The reason of this is, that the 

 semi-vowels partake both of the nature of the vowels and of the con- 

 sonants; and, as has been mentioned above, are an intermediate 

 species of sounds between the consonants and the vowels. When 

 they are brought into juxtaposition with the vowels, their own vowel- 

 naturo is obscured, and they serve in the capacity of consonants, but 

 when they arc separated from the vowels, and surrounded by conso- 

 nants only, as in sjiasm, lablc, centre, &c., their vowel-nature beconjcs 



