S. Porter on the Vowel Elements in Speech. 185 
: just alluded to. Such a use is marked by Alex. M. Bell, 
Edi nburgh, as “an oratorical and especially a pulpit Sookie 
as “in nation, education, gracious, &c.” (Elocutionary Manual, 
&e., Edinb., 1859 4 But, as I am told that it is a marked char- 
acteristic in the pronunciation of some English public speak- 
ers, the Rey. James Martineau among others, and as I have bh care 
it not unfrequently from native Americans, I am dis isposed t 
regard it rather as a relic of olden time whieh soot tg) habit 
has preserved to some extent, and more especially in the pulpit 
and on the stage 
It is not unusual to describe e vowel in question as identical 
with the e in met prolonged. The truth is that to prolong the e 
in met without change of cutie is difficult, and ane attempt is 
q apt to produce this ‘vowel as a watter of fact: yet the two are 
: really different in — quality. The aicied is good as a 
practical rule, but not to be accepted as a true analysis. 
legree 2.— Vowel ii In treating of the vowel above, we have 
remarked sufficiently upon this, as concerns the Enylish. I 
= vag she shorter a takes this sound in many words, as rdchen, 
dam , though in perhaps the greater number 
differ pautialiy from the short e; but there is a want of uni- 
formity in its Sian rag 5 by the Germans themselves. 
egree 3.— Vowel G*. The so-called short ¢ in English, as at, 
eat, man. Not ae rd inGerman. In French, modern wee in- 
ree 4,.— e 
of the short a Fa in the genuine aenkee dialéat, whieh ae 
substitutes it for d' or d, as in where, hair, &c., and, 1 resides 
using it conspicuously in are, takes it Ae initial element i = out, 
cow, now, round, the whole compound being nearly @*+0°+u 
The vowel involves such an action of the velum palati as super- 
adds a decided nasal quality. Fully nasalized, it is the French 
tn, as vin, fin, cousin, &e. 
close form, passed over to the present “long oY which lies in the fy group _ 
ward. l ed 
Exam nples of the transitional us were observed,—within the prese 
century, of course,—by the eminent phonvlogist and linguist, Dr. Erasmus Rask, pe 
_ says: “The é ferme, es es —which we have yet to sabe 2 very 
frequent in Danish but not of ata nt occurrence in Bhglsh still it is found es 
such words as their, vein, tek have a differe nt sound fr 
- Ido not forget that Dr. k is regarded some as mo 
t a ; but somewhat unjas' s 
Danish Grammar, edited by Repp, and professedly a faithful reproduce! 
sep e such distinction made ee 
uc. 
Lectures on the English Language, by G. P. M. 
285.) ‘Did Mr. M.’s usual accuracy fail him in this case? 
