Analysis of Articulate Sounds. I ] 9 



Tli alone, or with a mark forsonisibilance, Th. 



H alone, or with a mark for sonisibilance, Ch Spanish, and with a 

 mark for less open vocality, aw, .with another for more open vo- 

 eality ah. 



Whence it appears that six single characters, for the letters P, T, 

 K, F, Th, H, with seven additional marks joined to them for anteso- 

 nance, narisonance, orisonance, sibilance, sonisibilance, less open vo- 

 cality, and more open vocality; being in all but thirteen characters, 

 may spell all the European languages. 



I have found more difficulty in analyzing the vowels than the other 

 letters; as the apertures, through which they are modulated, do not 

 close; and it was therefore less easy to ascertain exactly, in what part 

 of the mouth tlrey were modulated; but recollecting that those parts 

 of the mouth must be more ready to use for the purpose of forming the 

 vowels, which were in the habit of being exerted in forming the other 

 letters; I rolled up some tin foil into cylinders about the size of my 

 finger; and speaking the vowels separately through them, found by 

 the impressions- made on them, in what part of the mouth each of the 

 vowels was formed with somewhat greater accuracy, but not so as 

 perfectly to satisfy myself. 



The parts of the mouth appeared to me to be those in which the 

 ktters P, I, K, and H, are produced; as those, where the letters F and 

 Th are formed, do not suit the production of mute or antesonant con- 

 sonants; as the interstices of the teeth would occasion some sibilance ; 

 and these apertures are not adapted to the formation of vowels on the 

 same account. 



The two first vowels aw and ah being modulated in the back part 

 of the mouth, it is necessary to open wide the lips and other passages 

 of the mouth in pronouncing them ; that those passages may not again 

 alter their tone; and that more so in pronouncing ah, than aw; as' 

 the aperture of th fauces is opened wider, where it is formed, and 

 from the greater or less size of these apertures used in forming the 

 vowels by different persons, the tone of all of them may be somewhat 

 altered as spoken by different orators. 



I have treated with greater confidence on the formation of articu- 

 late sounds, as I many years ago gave considerable attention to this 

 subject for the purpose of improving shorthand; at that time I conr- 



