1861.] 35f3 [Combinationg. 



In the following sem}-vo>Yel combinations, one of their two mem- 

 bers is quiescent : 



a. The letter n in mn, hi, e. g. condemn, kiln. 



b. The letter I in Im, In, Ik, If, when they are preceded by a, and 

 to some extent by o, e. <j. calm, holm, auln, stalk, folks, calf, and in 

 /(/, when preceded by oii in could, &c. 



c. The mutes preceding the nasals in kn, gn, pn, tm, e. g. hnow, 

 gnaw, pneumatics, tmesis. 



d. The letter b in mb, e. g. dumb. 



CHAPTER X. 



COMBINATIONS OF THE VOWEL-CONSONANTS Y AND W WITH THE 

 CONSONANTS AND SEMI-VOWELS. 



§ 27. The vowel-consonants to and ?/, as has been demonstrated 

 above (§ 7), are consonants generated from the vowel-sounds oo or 

 n in fute, and ee or i in machine, by increasing, on the one hand, 

 the contraction of the lips, and on the other, the pressure of the 

 middle of the tongue against the hard palate. W is the consonantal 

 V, y the consonantal i. Both are developed from their respective 

 vowels by gradually emphasizing their pronunciation. Thus, if we 

 pronounce ee with a low voice, and gradually raise it, we arrive at 

 the sound of?/ in year ; so also, by gradually raising the voice in the 

 pronunciation of oo, we pass over into the sound of w in we. The 

 reason of this is, because the degree of firmness with which the 

 articulating stations are either partially or entirely closed in the pro- 

 nunciation of the consonants, corresponds entirely with the greater or 

 lesser pressure of the air, brought to bear against them ; thus, when 

 we speak loudly, the articulating stations are closed firmly, and in 

 the degree in which our speech diminishes in loudness, the articu- 

 lating stations are closed less firmly. The same thing we notice in 

 the pronunciation of ee and oo. In the pronunciation of the former, 

 the middle portion of the tongue almost reaches the palate; if, now, 

 we suddenly increase the pressure of the air from the lungs, in order 

 to preserve the character of the vowel ee, we are compelled to in- 

 crease the pressure of the tongue against the palate; hence, the 

 transition of ee or i in machine into y. The same applies to the pro- 

 nunciation of 00 or u in flute. I hold, then, as a law, that w may 

 be produced by an emphasizing of u^ and y by that of i. Still, this 



