136 



DUMB AND DEAF. 



Dumb nd 



I K-jf. 



Onl 



Five in 

 number. 



1. Oral 



> .... .'.. 



.-. n, .1 

 mL 



3 Oral 

 Sound. 



4. Oral 



- .:... 



.V Oral 



Mode, of 



<-";: 



or ending 



Sounds. 



number. 

 1. Mode. 



. Mode. 



This U the only Laiyngteal sound in our language-, in 

 which the breath escapes entirely liy the nose. The 

 instant the nostrils arc stopped, the sound ceases. The 

 cause of the expression U easily seen. The velum of 

 the palate is brought a little downwards and forwards 

 and the jwsterior part of the tongue a little upwards 

 and backwards ; they meet together, and shut up en- 

 tirely the passage to the mouth. 



Oral sounds are such as are not produced in the La- 

 rynx, but by some of the parts belonging to the mouth. 

 Like the Laryngteal tounih, they are distinguished from 

 each other by their expression ; but they differ from 

 these, on the other hand, in not being susceptible of the 

 slightest variety of tone. They are only live in num- 

 ber. 



1. The round expressed by the letter r, in the words 

 cider, nicer ; by j in sail, asleep, oaks ; by sc in scene ; 

 and by sc/i in schism and schfdulr. 



This sound depends on the breath being made to 

 pus through the mouth, without having undergone 

 any previous vibration in the larynx, while the tongue 

 is placed precisely as in the pronunciation of the 18th 

 laryngiral sound. 



2. The sound expressed by the letter /', in far, snft, 

 afraid; and by pk, in phi/sic, phenomenon, aphorism. 



This sound is caused by the breath being made to 

 pass out by the mouth, wit'hout any previous vibration, 

 while the under lip and upper teeth are exactly in the 

 position necessary for the utterance of the 17th laryn- 

 ga?al sound. 



3. The sound expressed by the letter / in nation ; by 

 ch in champaign ; bj sh in \heir, ashamed, / uxli. 



This sound depends on the same situation of parts 

 within the mouth ns the 19th laryngn-al sound, the 

 breath passing through without any previous vibration 

 in the larynx. 



4-. The sound expressed by the letters ///, in the 

 words thick, athwart, path. 



This sound is caused by the breath passing out be- 

 tweun the tongue and upper teeth, placed exactly as in 

 the 20th larvngteal sound, but without any previous vi- 

 bration in the larynx. 



5. That soft but distinct sound accompanying the 

 emission of the breath, which we perceive at the end of 

 the words at, tleep, rack, and which occurs between 

 the two sounds expressed by the letters k and in the 

 word acknowledge. 



Thus we find, that there are 26 distinct sounds, J.a- 

 ryngccal and Oral, employed in the English language. 



Bt it is to be remarked in the next place, that there 

 are certain modes, according to which, if these sounds 

 be either begun or ended, a material alteration w ill of- 

 ten be produced in their meaning. 



These Modes are five in number. 



The 1st Mode is expressed by the letter c, in coal, 

 acme, siroc ; and by k in korun, make, lurk. 



This Mode consists in placing the tongue precisely in 

 the same situation as in tire pronunciation of the L'th 

 Laryngceal sound, keeping it firmly there, and at the 

 same time urging the breath against it, without any vi- 

 bration in the larynx. 



The 2d Mode is marked by the letter h, in hold, un- 



iis depend- on a short and quick action of the mus- 

 cles of expiration, by which the breath is urged forward 

 with greater velocity than ordinary, and the sound, at 

 its commencement, receives a sudden sort of impulse. 



This Mode is never employed to terminate sounds, 

 but only to begin them. 



The 3d Mode is marked by the letter p, in pay, n/)- 

 hold, tlop. 



This Made is caused by the velum of the palate and 

 the lips being brought into the same situation as in ut- 

 tering the 10th laryngwal sound, and kept steadily there, 

 and then by the breath's being urged forward against 

 the lips, without suffering any vibration in the larynx. 



The 4th Mode is marked by the letter /, in table, atone, 

 hat. 



This Mode depends on the breath's being urged for- 

 ward, without any vibration, into the mouth, the tongue 

 being placed exactly in the same situation as in pro- 

 nouncing the 1 1th laryngwal sound. 



The ,th Made is marked by the letter tr, in ward, 

 awake, work, rrountl. 



This Mode consists in urging the lip a little forward, 

 bringing them into contact, so as to leave only a small 

 hole in the middle, and then smartly enlarging that ori- 

 fice the instant the sound lx?gins. The extent to which 

 the orifice is enlarged, depends on the nature of the 

 sound which is to follow. 



These few remarks on the elementary sounds of our 

 language, are intended chiefly for the instructor of the 

 Deaf and Dumb, not for the pupil himself. \Vehave 

 thought it proper to introduce them here, because the 

 observations on this subject, which prevail in our com 

 mon works on grammar, seem to us very vague and in- 

 accurate. 



The method of procedure in teaching the Deaf-mute 

 to pronounce, in succession, all those sounds which we 

 have just considered, has been described, with so much 

 perspicuity, by one who has had the mo-t ample experi- 

 ence in the art, Dr Watson, that we cannot do better 

 than give it in his own words. 



" To effect this," says he, " and to habituate the pu- 

 pil to associate the sound which he is learning to form, 

 with the figure of the letter which is to be its represen- 

 tative, this is distinctly traced upon paper, or any con- 

 venient tablet, and he is made to look at it for a minute 

 or two. He then, if of acute intellect, will look up 

 with some anxiety in his countenance, as if he would 

 ask what he is te do with it. The sound is then slow- 

 ly and fully pronounced, and the learner made to ob- 

 serve, by his eyes, the position and motion of the ex- 

 ternal organs of speech, and to feel the astriction of the 

 muscles of the larynx, by placing his finger upon the 

 throat, carefully making him jx-rceive the difference to 

 be felt there between sound and silence. I laving made 

 these observations for H minute or two, he will seldom 

 hesitate to attempt an imitation of what lie has been ob- 

 serving, and that for the most jjart successfully. When 

 the contrary is the case, nothing more is necessary than 

 patient and good-natured perseverance ; for if he per- 

 ceive that his failure has excited chagrin or disappoint- 

 ment in his teacher, he will make another effort with 

 great reluctance. The sound once acquired, must be 

 practised sufficiently to avoid any danger of losing it ; 

 for the greatest care must be taken all through his pro- 

 gress, never to proceed to a new sound till the prece- 

 ding has become familiar, and unattended with doubt 

 as to the manner of pronouncing it. A contrary prac- 

 tice would Irad to endless vexation. A principal requi- 

 site is to keep the learner in good humour, and to make 

 him think that he is doing well beyond expectation. 

 nothing is more discouraging than to put him back." 



On a comparison of the elementary Sounds of our 

 language, and the various Modes of beginning and end- 

 ing them, with the written characters by which they 

 arc represented, it will be easily seen, that our alphabet 



Dumb and 



1. M..'. . 



.1. Y...I-. 



Procedure 



in teaching 

 the pupil :o 

 pronounce* 



Inconveni- 

 ence from 

 tin imper- 

 fection of 

 the common 

 alphabet. 



