1897 - 98 .] Mr B. J. Lloyd on Consonant-Sounds. 
235 
than that of 0 — is created. The noises created in such a passage 
are naturally deeper and stronger than those of s. It is doubtless 
in compensation for the greater resistance of so long a channel 
that it is at the same time made less narrow than that of s. 
During these observations the office of the fore-cavity begins to 
reveal itself. It appears to act chiefly as a resonator. This fact 
does not come to light in ordinary circumstances. In fact most 
investigators have thought that the chief phenomenon involved 
was the impact of the out-going air upon the teeth; for within 
ordinary limits there is no sign that this resonator is adjusted in 
any way to reinforce the sounds poured into it from the inner 
passage. But that Is apparently because a cavity so irregular in 
shape, and of such irregular orifice, has a certain considerable 
range of resonance, within which it will continue to respond fairly 
well, without readjustment. But when either s or f is carried 
through the whole range of its resonance, there is a very palpable 
instinctive readjustment of this fore-cavity, and especially of its 
orifice. When the resonance, either of s or f is carried to the 
highest point, there is an evident effort to increase and disencumber 
the orifice, by widening and spreading the lips. But when, on 
the other hand, it is carried to the lowest point, there is strong 
effort to diminish the orifice and to increase its resistance, by 
pursing and protruding the lips. The aim of these adjustments 
seems manifestly to be a kind of tuning, whereby the proper pitch 
of the cavity is roughly adjusted, so as to reinforce the sounds 
which it is receiving from the inner passage. 
It may be remarked in passing that the German ( sch ) is 
frequently articulated with rounding and protrusion of lips. It is 
therefore probable that it has often a lower resonance than the 
normal English/ about to be described. The neutral f and the 
neutral s have greater importance than any of the sounds hitherto 
called neutral ; because neither s nor f allows itself to be so readily 
drawn away from its neutral articulation (and for the individual, 
neutral resonance) as any consonant yet treated. Already, in 
carrying either s or f through the whole range of its resonance, 
the articulations at both ends of the scale, but especially at the 
lower end, have been found more laborious ; whilst the resulting 
^sounds have been less powerful. Why should these two conso- 
