DUMB AND DEAF. 



unt , in num- 

 ber. 



Dumhtnd tion of meaning; unless they suffered at some tune a 

 .*^ t ~'_' change in their expression. The letter , for example, 

 may be sounded, in a whisper, or vocally, \\iiliihciit- 

 ma.t variety of loudaest, and on ( \<i\ ION? of > 

 than diree octaves ot' the musical scale, and yet its sig- 

 nification remains unaltered ; but the slightest change of 

 expression converts it into a new sound, such as o, or n, 

 or r, liaving a different name, and a different mean- 

 ing. 



Are twenty- There are twenty-one LaryKgatal sounds, all differing 

 in expression from each other, employed in the English 

 language. We shall consider each of these separately. 

 "" 1. The sound expressed by the letter a in the v 

 ' art and at. In the former of these words, the sound 

 is expressed much more slowly than in the luttcr ; 

 in the one, therefore, it is said to be long, and in the 

 odier short. A long sound is usually pointed out by a 

 straight line, drawn above the letter or letters represent- 

 ing it, thus, art ; and a short one, by a curved line, 

 thus, tit. We shall employ these marks for the sake of 

 brevity, in our future illustrations. 



In this sound die breath escapes entirely by the mouth, 

 so that it cannot be pronounced when the lips are shut. 

 Its expression depends on a particular position of the 

 back part of the tongue and the velum of the palate. 

 We will not attempt to describe this ; but any one may 

 observe it in himself by means of a mirror. The ex- 

 pression suffers no change, either by varying the posi- 

 tion of the lips, or die teeth, or the tip of die tongue, 

 or by shutting the nostrils. 



i. Laryn- ~. the sound which is expressed by die letter a in the 

 gaal Sound, word kali, by au ill taught, by o in hot, and by on in 

 sought. 



The expression of this sound depends on the same 

 parts of the tongue and fauces as the former ; only the 

 root of die tongue is a little more arched upwards. 



a iMjn- 3. Tlic sound expressed by o in vote, and by oa in 

 gnl Sound. fo- t 



To give this sound its expression, the back part of 

 the tongue is still a little more arched upwards than in 

 the former. 



The expression is a good deal modified by varying 

 the size of die orifice of the lips. In common conver- 

 sation, it is always pronounced with a small opening of 

 the lips, which gives it a much more hollow expression, 

 than when the mouth is open, as during laughing ; and 

 we may observe, that the orifice is always less than du- 

 ring the utterance of eidier of the two preceding sounds. 

 4. I.rvn- 4,, The sound expressed by a in rare, by ai in wait, 

 pcl Sound- ^ a y ju j/<7y, by e in til, by M in pear, and by ei in 



in this sound, as well as in the three preceding, the 

 breath escapes entirely by die mouth. The edge of the 

 tongue on each side i.s brought into contact with the teeth 

 of the upper jaw, as far forwards as the small grinders; 

 its upper surface U formed into an arch, corresponding to 

 the toof of the numth, but separated to a certain dis- 

 tance from it ; and in the channel thus formed, the air 

 passes forwards, and escapes between the tip of die 

 tongue and die fore-teeth of d)e upper jaw. The espres- 

 tion i not alien utting the nostuls, nor by vary- 

 ing die relative pofcitiuu of the .jaws, nor by changing 

 the dimension* of the wri&e of die lips, provided they 

 fee sot entirely sbut. 



3. The sound expressed by the Utter a iji p'tle, by ai 

 . Wj&t W*l by c m ilicil or /u wd. 



The expression of this sound depend* on the same rhtmh < 

 parts as the former ; only, the surface of the tongi n- is n <af. 

 brought a little nearer to the roof of the mouth, so that S ""V^* 

 the channel thiougb which the air passe* is smaller. 



I he sound expressed by die letters ea in r,~ise, by 6. l.ryn- 

 ee in aitizt and^ece, by ei in receive, and by ie in be- g*l Soun4, 

 firttt and n 



To give the exposition of this sound, the tongue is 

 still further elevated than in the former. Its edges are 

 in contact with the teedi of the upper jnw, as far for- 

 wards as the eye-teeth, and its upper surface is applied 

 to the roof of the mouth, except along the middle, where 

 a small funnel is left for the breath, opening behind the 

 incisor-teeth. 



The different degrees of elevation which are given to 

 die tongue in the production of these three sounds, may 

 not only be seen, but distinctly felt, by laying die fin- 

 ger on the surface of this organ when an attempt is made 

 to utter them. 



7. The sound expressed by the letter o in lose, by oo - j arni _ 

 in pool, and loose, by ou in nliuttd, by it in pull, and l>y u ..,al Sou' 

 ue in true. 



This expression seems to depend on the same parts us 

 the 3d ; only the root of die tongue is raised so high, 

 that its posterior surface is almost perpendicular; and 

 the breath in escaping from die throat, is made to pass 

 directly upwards towards the back part of the roof of the 

 mouth. It is modified, too, exactly like the 3d sound, 

 by variations in the size of the orifice of the mouth. 



8. Tlve sound expressed by the letter e in founder, by S. Laryn. 

 i in bird, by o in monder and word, and by u in rtin. gal ! 



It is ini possible to describe with precision the confor- 

 mation of the parts within the mouth, upon which this 

 expression depends. The root of the tongue is not so 

 much elevated as in the 1st, ad, 3d, and 7th sounds, nor 

 die middle part of it so much as in the 4th, 5th, and 

 6th. Its upper surface is flat, and almost horizontal, 

 and it is not necessary that its edges should touch the 

 upper teeth. The breath escapes entirely by die mouth ; 

 so that stopping the nostrils does not produce the least 

 modification in the expression. 



9. The sound expressed by the letter i, in the words 9. La 

 him, thick, give. 6^ ' 



In this expression, the bfick part of the tongue is a 

 litde more elevated than in the former ; so that its sur- 

 face forms a slightly inclined plane downwards and for- 

 wards. This sound appears to bear the same relation to 

 die 8th, that die 5th does to the 4th. 



10. The sound expressed by the letter b, in boy, rob, 

 above. 



In this sound, the velum of the palate is so raised as 

 to shut up completely the orifices leading from the throat 

 to the nose ; the breath, dicrefore, passes wholly into the 

 mouth. Hut the expression of the sound depends en- 

 tirely on the lips being shut ; it cannot he pronounced at 

 all widi die lips o| en. Now, as the air which has been 

 excited into vibrations in its passage through the larynx, 

 U afterwards, in this case, urged by die muscles of ex- 

 piration, entirely into the mouth, none escaping by the 

 nose ; and, as its escape from the mouth is al.so prevent- 

 ed by the lips being shut, die mouth most very soon be 

 h'lleii with it, and then, of ionise, the sound will cease, 

 expiration being no longer possible. Accordingly, we 

 observe, that the sound of b U ene, upon which we em 

 hardly dwell beyond two seconds. 



The sjtuatiou of. the tougue does not much affect the 



Laryn- 



il Suuni 





