REVIEWS. 275 



part of the diphthongal combination here discussed, so that, once called 

 diphthongs, it would be understood that the first part of the combination 

 carries the syllable while the second part is reduced so as to give just a 

 margiu of different vocalic color to the first, remaining^ however, vocalic 

 to the end. The reviewer, for his part, has not been able to detect more 

 than this in the mouth of Filipinos of different tribes whom he has asked 

 to pronounce those diphthongs, nor can he find it in the examples by 

 which the author illustrates some of the Bontok Igorot diphthongs : 



"ay nearly like ai in aisle 



'''eij nearly like ey in eye, or ei in height 



"oy as in boy." 



But by the term "consonant," used in the case alluded to, more may 

 be meant. That term is also defined as denoting, in the precise case here 

 under discussion, a sound in the production of which that narrowing 

 between lip and lip, and between tongue and palate, which is necessary for 

 the articulation of u and i respectively is carried to the degree of becom- 

 ing an obstruction to the passage of the breath, tlras producing that rub- 

 bing sound which is characteristic of the class of consonants involved 

 (spirants or fricatives) and in which the vocalic element becomes extin- 

 guished. To this class belongs the sound contained in certain French 

 words cited by the author to illustrate the following dijjhthongs : 



"oy as in French feuille, 

 "uy as in French f ouille, 

 "iiy as in French tuyau." 



As regards the group "ao, au, as in how" it would seem that as long, 

 as the lips in pronouncing the second part of the combination remain 

 sufficiently open to make a fluctitation between o and u at all noticeable 

 it is not probable that the narrowing required for the labial spirant is 

 reached ; neither is it reached in the English word "how" used as example. 

 After a detailed exposition of Bontok Igorot phonology the author 

 proceeds to treat consecutively: the Article, Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, 

 Verb, Numerals, Prepositions, Adverbial Expressions. Particles, Conjunc- 

 tions, etc. In so doing he amply fulfills his promise in the preface, to 

 assist the student in all possible ways on each page of the grammar by 

 establishing rules, by an abundance of examples and by frequent literal 

 translations not only into English, but, wherever considered more helpful; 

 into German, French, Spanish, and Latin. As, at the same time, he 

 dwells upon and explains in their finer shades the turns of Igorot phraseo- 

 logy, the student, in advancing, also becomes initiated into the spirit and 

 rules of sjTitax, so that, when the last part of speech is reached, there 

 remain to be considered only a few special syntactical constructions. 

 Chapters like Modifiers of Verbs (p. 117-130), Auxiliaries Constructed 



106713— -4 



