Analysis of Articulate Sounds. 109 



in our language, as in the word high, if drawn out ends in the sound 

 of the letter e as used in English; which is expressed by the letter i in. 

 most other languages: and the sound of this vowel i begins with ah, 

 and consists therefore of ah and ee. Whilst the diphthong ou in our 

 language, as in the word how, begins with ah also and ends in oo, and 

 the vowel u of our language, as in the word use, is likewise a diphthong ; 

 which begins with e and ends with oo, as eoo. The French u is also 

 a diphthong compounded of a and oo, as aoo. And many other defects, 

 and redundancies in our alphabet wilt be seen by perusing the subse-* 

 quent structure of a more perfect one. 



II. Production of Sounds, 



.< 



By our organ of hearing we perceive the vibrations of the air; 

 which vibrations are performed in more or in less time, which con- 

 stitutes high or low notes in respect to the gammut; but the tone 

 depends on the kind of instrument which produces them. In speaking 

 of articulate sounds they may be conveniently divided first into clear 

 continued sounds, expressed by the letters called vowels; secondly, 

 Into hissing sounds, expressed by the letters called sibilants ; thirdly^ 

 Into semivocal sounds, which consist of a mixture of the two former; 

 and, lastly, Into interrupted sounds, represented by the letters pro- 

 perly termed consonants. 



The clear continued sounds are produced by the streams of air 

 passing from the lungs in respiration through the larynx; which is 

 furnished with many small muscles, which by their action give a proper 

 tension to the extremity of this tube; and the sounds, I suppose, are 

 produced by the opening and closing of its aperture; something like 

 the trumpet stop of an organ, as may be observed by blowing through 

 the wind-pipe of a dead goose. 



These sounds would all be nearly similar except in their being 

 an octave or two higher or lower; but they are modulated again^ 

 or acquire various tones, in their passage through the mouth; 

 which thus converts them into eight vowels, as will be explained 

 below. 



