VII SPEECH 337 



may be all formed out of the sound produced by a con- 

 tinuous ex})iration, the mouth being kept open, but the 

 form of its aperture, and the extent to which the lips are 

 thrust out or drawn in so as to lengthen or shorten the 

 distance of the orifice from the larynx, being changed for 

 each vowel. It will be narrowest, with the lips most 

 drawn back, in E, widest in A', and roundest, with the 

 lips most protruded, in 00. 



Certain consonants also may be pronounced without 

 interrupting the current of expired air, by modification of 

 the form of the throat and mouth. 



Thus the aspirate, H, is the result of a little extra 

 expiratory force — a sort of incipient cough. S and Z, Sh 

 and J (as in jugular = G soft, as in cjentrif), Th, L, R, F, 

 V, may likewise all be produced by continuous currents of 

 air forced through the mouth, the shape of the cavity of 

 which is peculiarly modified by the tongue and lips. 



All the vocal sounds hitherto noted so far resemble one 

 another, that their production does not involve the 

 stoppage of the current of air which traverses either of the 

 modulating passages. 



But the sounds of M and JV can only be formed by 

 blocking the current of air which passes through the 

 mouth, while free passage is left through the nose. For 

 M, the mouth is shut by the lips ; for N, by the application 

 of the tongue to the palate. 



The other consonantal sounds of the English language 

 are produced by shutting the passage through both nose 

 and mouth ; and, as it were, forcing the expiratory vocal 

 current through the obstacle furnished by the latter, the 

 character of which obstacle gives each consonant its 

 peculiarity. Thus, in producing the consonants B and P, 

 the mouth is shut by the lips, which are then forced open 

 in this explosive manner. In T and D, the mouth pas- 

 sage is suddenly barred by the application of the point of 

 the tongue to the teeth, or to the front part of the palate ; 

 while in K and G (hard, as in go) the middle and back of 



z 



