^04 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



cisely determined upon the palate than upon the tongue, owing to 

 the extensile property of the latter. 



IV. Each group thus determined embraces individual vowels, 

 differing in (ler/ree, as more or less open or close. The differences 

 are effected in the palato-liiigual passage by approximating mofe 

 or less to the palate the part of the tongue at the place of articu- 

 lation, especially at the front terminus of the passage. The pas- 

 sao"e may at the same time be narrowed, more or less, as more or 

 less of the margin of the tongue is put into contact wath the bor- 

 ders of the palate. The labials will need no other or further cri- 

 terion; for in their case the more or less openness of the lips will 

 correspond to that between (he tongue and palate. 



Tone of Voioels. — 'i'he same author in a satisfactory manner 

 meets certain disputed points concerning the relation of the vowels 

 to tone or pitch. Have the vowels each what may be called in any 

 sense their natural pitch? This, if so, can help little to a know- 

 ledo'C of their proper vowel characters, which remains the same 

 under every variety of pitch. Is the peculiar character of each 

 vowel to be explained as a certain combination of narmonic notes? 

 This, if so, will not help much in our physiological inquiries till 

 we have a better understanding of the mechanical conditions upon 

 which such combinations depend in other cases. Prof. Max Miiller, 

 in reporting the discoveries of Hemholst on this point, tells us the 

 vowel quality is to be explained as exactly analogous to the timhr.e, 

 by which instruments, as the violin, flute, harp, &c., are distin- 

 guished one from another. But Ave have voices differing as do 

 the instruments to which we liken them, yet each voice uttering 

 all the vowels and giving to every one its peculiar character. We 

 ciuinot, therefore, accept this as an adequate explanation. 



There are two or three facts under this head which, if not 

 already familiar, can be easily verified. First: If we utter in suc- 

 cession any two or more of the simple vowel elements, we shall 

 find them naturally taking a different pitch one from the other; 

 and referring to the series of groups arranged according to the 

 place of articulation as reaching more or less forward upon tongue 

 and palate, w^e find that, in passing from any vowel in the scale to 

 one further forward and similar in degree of openness, the voice 

 rises in pitch, while, proceeding in the other direction, it as natu- 

 rally falls. The following is proposed as a physiological explana- 

 tion of the fact. The movements of the tongue have an influence 

 upon those of the larynx, through the intermediation of the hyoid 



