44 GLOSSOLOGY. 



and the German ch; and nasals, formed partly by the nose, as ourng, 

 and the French m, or n, at the end of words. The letters s and z 

 are called sibilants ; being pronounced with a hissing sound. Our let- 

 ters are borrowed from the Romans : and as they expressed u and v 

 by the same character, these letters have often been injudiciously min- 

 gled, in the older dictionaries. The same may be said of the letters, 

 i and j. Words are divided into syllables : each of which is pro- 

 nounced by a single impulse of the voice. In writing, or printing, the 

 letters which belong to the same syllable, should never be separated. 



decent is a strong enunciation of one or more syllables in a word, 

 thereby rendering the pronunciation more distinct : and emphasis is 

 a similar stress on some important word or phrase in a sentence. Ca 

 dence is a rise or fall of the voice, at the close of a sentence ; aiding 

 to express its signification. The Orthography and Orthoepy of our 

 language, are very irregular, and can only be learned from Spelling or 

 Reading Books, or from Dictionaries. Where these latter disagree, 

 we would be guided by custom, or the analogy of our own language, 

 or the derivation of the word from other languages ; exercising our 

 own judgment in each case of disagreement among standard authors. 

 Thus, we prefer to spell the words honor, favor, and the like, with- 

 out the letter u : because this letter is superfluous ; and they are more 

 naturally derived from the Latin words, ending in or, than from the 

 French, ending in eur. But we would pronounce oblique so as to 

 rhyme with antique, and unique ; on account of its similar orthogra- 

 phy, and derivation. 



2. Lexicology, is that part of Grammar which treats of the signi- 

 fication of words ; being so named from the Greek \C\IKOV, a dictionary ; 

 and this derived from Aeyw, I speak. Hence, a writer of dictionaries 

 is called a lexicographer; and the art of writing them, lexicography. 

 Etymology, from ervnos, true, and \oy OS , word, treats of the derivation 

 of words, whether from foreign languages, or from other words in the 

 same language : while the mere study of definitions of words, may 

 be termed Orismology, from opicrnos, a definition. Both these studies, 

 closely connected as they are, we would include under Lexicology. 

 A complete Dictionary of any language, should, we think, include 

 not only the words in common use, but also obsolete words, and tech- 

 nical terms ; marking them as such ; and giving their derivations, as 

 well as definitions. It ought also to give a full list of proper names, 

 both of persons and places ; with their correct pronunciation, as far as 

 it can be ascertained. Those compound words, and phrases, which, 

 by combination, acquire a peculiar meaning, should also be carefully 

 inserted. 



As regards their structure, words are either primitive or derivative. 

 A primitive word is one which cannot be reduced to any simpler word 

 in the same language : but derivative words are formed from primitives, 

 either by the addition of one or more syllables, or by the union of two 

 or more words ; as ink-stand, pen-knife. These latter, are also called 

 compound words. A syllable added at the beginning of a word, is 

 called a prefix, or, less properly, a preposition ; but a syllable added 

 at the end of a word, is called a suffix, or termination. Most lan- 

 guages contain many derivative words, which are formed on regular 



