ORDEii Ob' EXEiiCISES ELOCUTION filVKN AT 'l"HK COOK COUNTY NORMAL SCHOOL cs^^ FEANK STUAET PARKEE, Late Instructou tx the Boston TTniveksity School of Oiiatory AND Boston Scnoof, op Ohatory. laE-VISEia EIDXTI02>T. CHICAGO. 1887. COPYRIGHT By FRANK STUART PARKER. 1887. UONOHUB l vigorously as tlicre is danger of throwing the limb out oj' joint. h. Stand upon ono foot, swing the leg from side to side with a circular motion. c. Stand upon ono foot, lift the other from the floor, the same movement as in taking a step, greatly exaggerated, relax and let the foot and limb fall. The action resembles the pawing of a horse, aside from the energy in foot. 13. This exercise decomposes the whole body. Use a mattress until all fear of falling has disap- peared. PEODUCTION OF VOICE. Sound is an eli'eet produced upon the auditon' nerves by bodies in a state of molar vibration. Any form of mat- ter, solid, liquid, or gaseous, is capable of this vibration and of originating sound. A body is in motion when it moves en masse from point to jioint ; in vibration Avhen its particles are in motion, making an excursion to and fro, but the body itself remaining unchanged as to its position in space. Bodies vibrate as wholes and also in segments. The vibration of the body as a whole is called its fundamental vibration; of the segments, its harmonic vibration. The fundamental vibration is slower than the harmonic. Vibrations can be communicated from one form of matter to another, fi'om one body to surrounding bodies. Any form of matter will convey vibrations, but some mediums offer less resistance than others. The air is the common medium of sound propagation. Each vibration of the sounding body sets in motion the molecules of air immediately surrounding it; these bound forward, strike other molecules, and fall back to j^osition, only to repeat the oscillation, if tlie body still continues to vibrate. This impulse forward, communicated from molecule to mole- cule, spreads in every direction, i)roducing a spherical air- wave which breaks upon surrounding bodies, its extent depending upon the initial force which produced it, and the resistance of the medium which conveys it. Each vibration of the body causes the molecules of air to be compressed iu front of it, and, as it retreats, leaves a '62 PRODUCTION OF VOICE. 33 partial vacuum behind it; this is repeated at every subse- (jueut vibration. These condensations and rarefactions, successively propagated through the air, constitute what is termed the sonorous wave. This wave has height and depth, length, and rate of movement. Tlie distance i)etsveen two successive condensations shows the length of the wave. A sound is heard when the air wave impinges upon the circular tympanic membrane Avhich closes the external ori- fice of the ear, and. througli tlie mechanism created expressly for it, the shock is communicated to the auditory nerves, and transmitted to the brain. The conditions necessary for the production of mund are, a vibrating bod}^ and a medium that will transmit the vibrations to some part of the body in communication with the auditory nerves. The force of a tone is its relative loudness and softness. This is determined by the initial molar vibrations of the isonorous body, the path described by the oscillation of each molecule to and fro. The more energetic the vibration the louder the sound, and vice versa. The pitch of a sound is its relative high or low effect. This is determined by the rate of vibration in the sound- ing body. The slower the vibration, the deeper the pitch; the more rapid the vibration, the shriller or higher the pitcli. In distinguishing pitch the ear is limited in range in both directions, Helmholtz placing the lower limit at sixteen vibrations per second, the higher at thirty-eight thousand per second, the entire range embracing about eleven octaves. The quality of a sound is that peculiar difference wliicli distinguishes it from every other sound. Two or more sounds may be alike in pitch, or of the same intensity, but never alike as regards quality. It will be remembered that 34 ORDER OF EXERCISES. bodies vibrate as a -whole, and also as parts, that the funda- mental vibrations are slower than tiie harmonic vibrations, and consequently a body in vibration is producing, with every periodic vibration, sound Avhicli varies in pitch. The tone produced at the vocal chords is termed the fun- damental; the re-inforcements of the fundamental by the tones produced l)y the resonaiH^e of the cavities anterior to the vocal chords are called its harmonics or overtones: and the two blended determine the quality of the sound. These harmonics or overtones differ in bodies whoso fundamental tones are the same; for instance, two bells are in perfect unison as to their fundamental tones, while their overtones are discordant; consequently they will differ in quality. The amplitude of the sound wave shows the intensity of the sound. The length of the sound wave determines the pitch of the sound; and tlie form of the sound wave determines the quality of the sound, which is pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable as its overtones are in unison with its fundamental tone. Voice, a particular variety of sound, produced by the vocal apparatus of the animal body, obeys in its production, the law of the general. It is produced at the vocal chords, which are thrown into vibration by means of breath impelled from the thoracic or chest cavity. These chords ran be lengthened or shortened, and the pitch varied, a range of from two to three octaves being the extent of the human voice. Anterior to the vocal chords are the cavities of the mouth and of the nose, which produce through their sympa- thetic vibrations, tones which reinforce the tones produced by the vocal chords, and largely determine the quality of the voice. By the different adjustments of these cavities certain overtones are reinforced, while others are not. NOTES. 35 3G NOTES. PRODUCTION" OF VOICE. 37 giving I'i.so to different qualities of sound whiuli uro dis- tinguished as the vowel, consonant and glide elements of speech. Quality of Yoice, The quality of the voice depends ujiou the cavities anterior to the vocal chords. These cavities are changed by the different adjustment of the so-called organs of speech — the lips, teeth, cheeks, tongue, palate (hard and soft), and the uvula, together with the change effected in the cavity directly above the true vocal chords by the action of the false vocal chords, different elevations and depressions of the epiglottis and nvula, and the contraction of the posterior pillars of the soft palate. These all modify what we term the quality of the voice, but the first more par- ticularly affect what are termed the elements of speech — consonants, vowels and glides — while the second affect voice proper." 8till another element plays its part, and that an important one, in determining the quality of a voice or tone quality, and that is the structure or conformation of the cavity, which, differing with every individual, must essentially modify each individual voice. Any defects which arise from the first two, it will easily be seen, are remedied, because brought about by improper adjust- ments, which have become automatic and habitual. The same mechanical processes by which they were acquired may be brought into play, the pi'0})er adjustment may be made and the action repeated until it in its turn sinks into the automatic. The defects arising from congenital con- formation, nnevenness of the roof of the mouth, height or depression of the arch of the mouth, small throat, etc., are not to be overcome by educ-ation. A distinction must be made between voice quality and speech quality, and discrimination used in the appli- o8 ORDER OF EXERCISES. cation of the exercises given. ^'otliing is more com- mon than a sweet voice with a bad articuhition, or distinct articulation with a crumped, unpleasant voice. Again, the elements of speocli may be properly pro- duced, the voice sweet and mellow (no uncommon case with foreigners), and the fault bo a substitution of one vowel, consonant, or diphthong for another, as daug for dog, oi for I, an for on; another common fault with for- eigners is the substitution of an un-English element, as 3 for 3-1 by the French, and 12 for 12-14: by the Irish. In j)rescribing for these defects, I shall treat quality under the two heads of conventional moditication of quality, and natural modification of quality. The first is arbitrary and fixed, differing with different nationalities, an invention of man, an adaptation of faculty to use for the pur- pose of describing to others that which we feel or think; the second, which is from the first involuntary, inborn, and manifested under the impulse of emotion, demonstrating states, conditions, and moods of the mind. Thus, I may be interested, aiul the quality of my voice will show it, while the speech will particularize — tell in Avhat I am interested. There is a correspondence between natural modification of voice and natural gesticulation or play of limb and feature, as between speech and sign language. The latter are both artificial adaptations of a possessed means, to whi(di adaptations arbitrary means are as- signed. They are alike, in that pi-imarily they con- sist largely of imitations of that which they describe, but in their development culture has a tendency to make the articulations grow more subtle, and each part grows more significant and expressive. The development of every new shade of thought or emotion calls for a better medium of expression. rRODUCTION OF VOICE. 39 CONVENTIOXAL MODIFIPATION' OF QUALITY — PRODUC- TION" OF THE Elements of Speech. These elements — consonants, vowels and glides — are produced, it will be remembered, by the different adjust- ments of the organs of speech — lips, cheeks, tongue, etc. These adjustments are brought about by the muscles which move the various parts mentioned. It will readily be seen that any lack of flexibility and strength in the action of these muscles must very materially atfect the articulation or molding of the elements. The ear or eye will guide a ])iipil whoso muscles are under the control of the will, and are, at the same time flexible enough to bring, quickly, the cavity into shape; but if these condi- tions do not exists tlien a preliminary practice of a special kind is required. In the first two years of my teaching, immobility of lips and cheeks, and unwieldy tongues were difficulties for which I was not prepared, probably through lack of comprehension, on my part, of instruction given. The problem dwelt with me day and night, and w^as finally solved through one of luiture's educators — a baby. Walk- ing along the street one hot summer morning, my atten- tion was suddenly arrested by a baby sitting on the side- Avalk, wholly absorbed in the ma-ma-ma, or some similar infantine babbling that his little lips were awkwardly fash- ioning. The intent expression of the smutty little face, and the evident concentration of mind, which rendered him oblivious to the noise of the street, to passers-by or to my observation, puzzled me for a moment, when suddenly it flashed across me, that balnj is leai^ning to talk. Not a A'ery brilliant discovery, some may think, but it opened up to me such a wide field of investigation and suggestion that it will ever remain as one of the most remarkable dis- 40 ORDER OF EXERCISES. coveries in my experience. I began studying babies and prescribing their babblings where I found the muscular de- fects mentioned, and soon discovered that not only was there a regular succession in which these sounds were pro- duced, but that they were also uniform as to kind. Dar- win, who, in proving that babies, no matter of what nation- ality or by what intellectual environments surrounded, use the same preliminary babblings in learning to talk, has given the teacher interested in defects of articulation an invaluable lesson. Where we follow nature's method we cannot go wrong. THE ELEMENTS OF SPEECU. The elements of speecli ai'e CMiKsoiuuits, vowels ami glides. These take their luuiies i'l'oiii certain marked pecul- iarities characteristic of each. Prof. Alexander Graham Bell gives the following definition of these three elements: A Vowel. — A vowel is a quality of voice heard while the organs of articulation are in a definite fixed position. It is non-obstructive and syllabic. A CoNSONAXT. — A consonant is a quality of voice heard while the organs of articulation are in a definite fixed position. It is obstructive and non-s:yIIabic. A Glide. — A glide is a succession of qualities of voice heard while the organs of articulation are passing from one definite fixed position to anotlier approximately definite position. It is non-obstructive and non-syllabic. A DiPiiTHOXG. — A diphthong is the union of two vowels and a glide. 41 EXEIICISES YOU ORGANS OF ARTICULATIOK (For freedom of uiovenieut.) 1. Drop the jaw lazily, energy withdrawn. 2. Move jaw from side to side, energy withdrawn. 3. Throw jaw forward and bark. 4. IJepeat rapidly ik, ip, it. T). liepoat rapidly several times in succession ma", pa**, he\ l)y«-S bo'--", ba^'S me\ ('). All-goo; repeat ra2)idly several times in snccession, using cheek muscles. 7. Force bi'cath through lii)s, for strengthening lip and cheek muscles. 8. Itun out tongue; draw l)ack and touch uvula. 9. Fold back tip of tongue. 10. Fold over sides of tongue. 1 1. Groove tongue. 12. Lapping movement of tongue. 13. lule, edo; rej^eat r;i])idly. 14. Trill voice r. 15. Trill voice r. running the scale. 10. Decompose tongue. 17. Kepeat each syllable rajiidly, several times in suc- ession, j)re', pra-'"', pri^', ]n-o'~"^*. 18. Repeat the whole rapidly several times in suc- cession, le, lay, li, lo. li). Kepeat the whole rajiidly several times in succes- sion, do*'"'", did, did, did, do. 42 NOTES. 43 44 NOTES. THE ORGANS OF ARTICULATION. For the jaw. — A\'itli(lra\v the life and drop lazily. Open and sliut va])i(lly. Carry from side to side lazily. Throw fiirwai'd and hack. For tlip Up. — Ma-nia-nia-ma-ma-nia; he-be-be-be-be- be; by-by-by-by-by-])y; bo-l)()-])o-bo-bo-bo; l)a-ba-ba-ba-ba- ba; ba-be, ba-be, ))a-be: nio-aJi. nio-ah. uii'-ali: pa-pa-pa-pa- pa-pa. For (lie cheeks. — Ali-goo, ali-goo, ah-goo. The two latter exercises are to be repeated rapidly after they can be distinctly articnlated. See that the ah-goo draws the cheek backward and npward, and is not accom- plished by tlie simple dropping of the jaw. Inhale breath througli nostril, distend cheeks, then force breath, cheek and lip muscles resisting, through a small aperture in lips. Eepeat first lialf of above exercise; strike the cheeks and force air through, striving to retain air by the lips. For the tongue. — Eun out the tongue as far as possible, then draw back and touch the uvula. Fold the tongue from side to side, withdrawing the life from the tongue. Fold back the tip. Do this by aid of the teeth. Groove the tongue by bringing together the sides. Draw the tongue in and out rapidly, striking the tip of the tongue against the teeth as it is passed forward and back. The sound heard will be similar to that heard when a dog is lapping water, or where voice is used, the babbling of a baby when it is learning to produce the consonant 1, a peculiar combination of b and 1 being the result. 45 46 OKDER OF EXERCISES. J^ajndly and clearl}'' enunciate the syllables ede, edo; ede, edo. 1'rill the consonant r. Trill the consonant r, at the same time running the scale up and down. Decompose tongue. — Let the tongue lie lifeless in the mouth, take a pencil and indent the surface; when it is perfectly decomposed, it will not resist. The defects calling for the above exercises will be found in childreu that are timid or self-conscious, where they are deaf or hard of hearing, and where the imitative power, owing to luck of ability to discriminate sounds, has not been stimulated sufficiently to give the child the amount of practice necessary for the smooth running of the articu- latory machine. Prof. Alexander Graham Bell informs me that he finds exercises of this character invaluable in teaching the deaf to speak. Miss Mary McGowen, a teacher of the deaf, in Englewood, 111., says that slie has found these exercises of great help in her work, not only with the childreu that are partially deaf, but with those that are totally deaf. Quite a number of teachers, whose pupils were largely foreigners, have successfully overcome the ener- gizing of the jaw so })revalent among the Scotch; the close- shut jaw of the Irish, and the burr of the Germans, caused by the substitution of tlie back for the tip of the tongue in articulating "r. " They are useful, too, in curing the in- numerable faults found in our own children, caused by lazy lips, unwieldy tongues and affectations so common among our self-conscious little men and little women. Give exercises xvii, xviii and xix on each successive note of the scale, trilling the r perceptibly in xvii. IMPROVEMENT OF VOWEL ELEMENT. 1. Two fingers in month, tip of tongue against back of lower teeth; articulate i as in ill, e as in ell. 2. Three fingers in mouth, tongue as above; articulate a as in art, u as in pull, o as in on. 3. Dr. Cxuilmette's Vowel Table — each element dis- tinctly articulated with active whisper. 4. Vowel Table distinctly articulated with voice. 5. Vowel Table — i-e, i-u, i-a, i-o. 6. Phonator reversed — i followed by e, e followed by a; articulate rapidly but distinctly. 47 DR. GUILMETTE'S VOCAL CHART. Permutations of the Five Organie Voicel Sounds. 2 4 i;5 8 10 1 V] IT A 0. N. B. — Let there he :i proinpl anil Jinn molding of the sounds whicli Dr. (Juilmette I'opresents hy these char- acters. Exercises. III. 1. e u a e u u a e a u o e a 11 e u a c IV. a 11 o e u a (> e a w o II e a o u a (! () a e U e a a VII i u 11 e (1 e a i ( ( u e e a, a 11 11 i () i e a () i u e a o u i II. u e a o u e a u a e u a c u e a i u V. a e e i u a o e e i i ' u a, <) ti a e i a () 11 e i u a e e i \ rii i a 11 11 a e () i a 11 e 11 i a e • a a i i II o a 4H u i a c 11 a e 11 a 11 e o a 11 e a c 11 a V!. n e e 11 i a <) n i a e u a i (> u a i c n i a e u IX. a i i e a i e a i a e o i a c i o e a i a Dii. glil:metti:s vocal chart. 40 X. u i ;t o II (' i () ;i 11 (( a i n 11 e II o i II o i n II (• a i XI. 11 a i e o u a i o 11 a e i () u a e () i 11 a o i 11 a (' i XII. 11 o i e a no i a e 11 o c i a 11 o e a i u o a i e u o a e i xiir. I I u u I 11 c o I u I c 11 I o 1! e XVI. I i C 11 I i U e I i u I o e u i I 11 i e I u e i XI A'. a i 11 o a i o 11 a e 11 i o a OHO i a e o i 11 aeon i XV. a u i e o a 11 i o a u e i o a 11 e o i a 11 o i e a 11 o e i XVTT XVIII. i e 11 a o e i u a i e a 11 e i a 11 i 11 e a o e u i a o i 11 a e e 11 a i o i a e 11 o e a i 11 o i a u e e a u i XIX. o 11 i e a o 11 i a e o 11 e i a o u e a i o 11 a i e o u a e i XX. o a i e u o a i 11 e o a e i u o a e 11 i o a 11 i e o a u e i IMPROVEMEXT OF THE AVOWEE ELEMENT. Before taking up tlie vowel and consonant tables I give some exercises for the special improvement of the elements. These exercises are those given to me by Dr. Charles Guilmette, a late celebrated teacher and singer of Boston. His articulation was almost perfect, both in singing and speaking. Prof. Lewis B. Monroe acknowledged his in- debtedness to Dr. Guilmette in his Manual of Physical and Vocal Training. Many eminent teachers of Boston and vicinity are also indebted to him for his wise and judicious ideas upon voice training. Mrs. Guilmette has kindly permitted me to publish her husband's consonant and vowel chart. Teachers will find this convenient and useful for class practice. Exercises to be used in Coxxectiox with THE ClIAliT. Place two fingers in the mouth so as to hold the teeth apart without interfering with the tongue; place the tip of the tongue against the back of the lower teetl], depress it through its length as much as possible, and articulate the vowels i as in ill, e as in ell, until they are distinct and the tip of tongue shows no inclination to leave the back of the teeth. Place three fingers in the mouth, observe the above conditions, ami articuhife u as in pull, a as in art, o as in on. Place a stick an inch in width between the teeth, and articulate e as in ell, a as in art, o as in on, ra})idly in suc- cession. 50 IMI'KOVKMENT OK TKK VOWEI. FLEMKXT. 51 Pkactjcje a\ rill iiii: Vowel Tajjle. i iis in ill e as in ell a as in art 11 as in pull o as in on. Give these five sounds, according to the table, first with the active (loud) whisper, then with voice. See that eacli element is firmly molded and very distinct. Have each child give the elements separately in order to be sure that they are given distinctly and correctly. Pass about among the pupils during concert work in order to note any care- less or slovenly practice. One cannot be too careful in this direction, because articulation being arbitrary and wholly automatic a habit is quickly established, and the lijibits formed during the i)lastic age of childhood in this direction, as well as in those of spelling, pronunciation and correct use of language, last one a whole lifetime. Indeed, one who has been unfortunate enough to have acquired any of these bad habits in youth is never safe; they are ever ready to start unbidden from the depths of consciousness, ghosts that are not to be laid by any after- exorcism of educational device. The lesson to be empha- sized is the strength of early im2)ressions. I have heard one of the most thoughtful and critical of our American scholars repeatedly mispronounce a word when using it in argument or impassioned address, who, when asked, would instantly give the correct pronunciation of that word. This gentleman, whose reputation for scholarship in Europe is equal to his reputation in his own country, cannot be set down as nncultivated or ignorant. He is not ignorant; the needed education in this particular direction, coming too late in life, failed to impress the mind strongly enough to 52 OKDEU OP EXERCTSES. liave it retain tlie impression, 'i'liis is ti truth which a broiidly educated mind can grusi); but to a hirge class the sine qua nonoi tlionaht power is correct pronunciation and correct grammatical construction,, and tliough you speak *'with the tongues of angels." and are guilty of one of these errors, they will not hear you; wisdom abideth only where that i)art of expression which is wludly arbitrary, and a thing of custom, is wliolly correct. T re[)eut, if it is a sign of gross ignorance to misspell a word, or to mispro- nounce a word — each a form of imitative expression, which, liaving sunk into the autoiuatic, does not call into play the reasoning powers, a form arbitrarily fixed by custom — can I not logically infer that where articulation is defective, there must necessarily be gross ignorance? Is not articula- tion the correlative of spelling and pronunciation, in that it is fixed by custom, is arbitrary, and does not call for the exercise of the reasoning faculty? At our national meeting last summer I listened in vain among our educators, at least among those that I was ena- hlecl to hear, for some reference to the needs of our schools in this direction, but it remained for Mgr. Capel and Prof. Bell, the one an Englishman, the other a Scotchman, to bring this subject before American educators. Repeat the vowel i (as in ill) three times, watching the mouth carefully to see that the cavity remains unchanged during the production of the element. This last, the fixedness of the mold, is of the utmost impoi'tance in the formation of a beautifully molded vowel. Go back to the lesson on actonstics, the s1ia2)e of the air ivave delerminex the (jualitji; this shape is determined by the uinon of the fundamental and harmouii^ vil>rations; (^verv change in the cavities anterior to the vo(;al chords changes the condition of the sounding bodies (producing the (|uality), and there is, therefore, a change in vibration whicli affects the shape NOTES. 53 54 NOTES. IMPROVEMEXT OF THE VOWEL ELEMENT. 55 of the air wave, and is lioard in a cliangc of ((uality. The fixedness of the niokl and the openness of the cavity give purity, roundness and fullness of the vowel element. This is what Dr. Guilmette aimed at in his practice, and it can he accomplished in a very short time witli children, if no careless practice is allowed. Practice the tables slowly and distinctly at first; avoid a rapid utterance until the elements can be surely molded. To break up a very common fault, not by any means con- fined to children, the running together of words — " lemme go," "I sawim," "a coasting pilotee," "taker car," let- teralone, etc. — use the tables ; as follows: LIABLE I. — 1-6 i-u i-a i-6 i-e i-u i-6 i-a i-e i-a i-u i-6 i-e i-a i-6 i-ii i-6 i-6 i-u i-ii i-e i-6 i-a i-u Place the accent upon the second vowel, and promptly articulate the two elements. IMPEOVEMENT OF CONSONANT ELEMENT. 1. Take the jiositions for the consonants in table silently, making the action i:)ure]y local. 3. Give the consonants with active Avhisper. '■). Give the consonants with vowels explosively. Pa, fa, ta, la, ka. Peer, feer, teer, leer, keer. Pair, fair, taii\ lair, kair. Poor, foor, toor, loor, koor. Pore, fore, tore, lore, kore. 4. Eepeat the consonants b, d, g, v, twice. T). Eepeat each forcibly several times in succession, vi% gi, di, vi; ve', ge', de', ve'. 56 DR. (lUILMETTE'S CONSONANT EXERCISES. Classificalio)!, ami Porinatatimi of the Organic, Lahial, Lintjaal and iMriimjeal Ayticnlations. I. — OR(iANIC Laj'.ial Artici'i.ations. Labial Proper, ---... p p Semi- Labial, F F II. — OkGANIC LlNGl7AL AllTlCULATlONS. Apex of the Tongue Straight, T T - Hard. Apex of the Tongue Curved, L L - Soft. Dorsum of the Tongue Arched, K K- Hard. Apex of the Tongue Straight, R R - Hard Vibratory. Apex of the Tongue Curved, R R - Soft A-^ibratory. III. — Organic Laryngeal Articulations. B B G G D D V V N.B. — 1. The principal Laryngeal sound represented by the character B should, for the purpose of enlarging the chamber of the Larnyx, be practiced forcibly several times a day, regardless of the grammatical name which designates it as a Consonant. 2. Prefix the articulation of eacli of the above Conso- nants to the closed Organic Vowel /, taking care to keep passive those vocal organs whose immediate functioning is not required. Let the mi)i(l be veiy watcliful over the active organ and none other, taking care to retain it for a second or more in its position, after the articulation shall have been given. 57 58 ORDKR OF EXEROISES. 3. The same rule should be .strictly observed in the molding of the Organic Vowel sounds. Otherwise, the slurring and drawling of the vocal element will be the result, and a miserably defined vowel will characterize the performance of the singer or speaker. EXERCISES OX THE PEllMUTATIOXS OF THE LABIALS, LIXGUALS AND LARYXGEALS. 1. — The T\\ ENTY-Forii Permutations of the LiX(;uAi.s. T L K R. T I. K n T K L K T R L K t l e k t k r l t r k l k r t l r k t l l k t r kelt r k l t l k r t l t k r k ^j^ l r r t l k l t r k k t r l r t k l t: r t k k l t r r l t k l r k t k l r t r l k t^ 3. — The Twenty-four Permutations of the Labials, p and f, with the t.arynceals, b anj) (!. P F B G P p. F (i P G F B P F G B P B G F P G B F B G P F (; li 1' F F B P (; BGFP G B F P F B (J P FPBG BPFG GPFB FPGB BPGF GPBF F G P B ]i F P G G F P B FGBP BFGP GFBP DR. GUILMETTE's CONSONANT EXERCISES. 59 3t — The Twenty-four Permutations of the Prin- cipal Labial, P, with the Two Principal Lin- GUALS, T and K, and THK PRINCIPAL LARYNGEAL, V>. P T K B P K 'V B P n T K P T B K P K B T P U Iv T K B P T B K P T T K P B K B T P B K T r T K H P T P K B K P '1^ B B P ^J' K T P B K K P B T B P K T T B P K K T P B B T P K T B K P K T B P B T K P moldixCt consonant element. The mechanism of speech may be likened to an air gun, the vowel representing the bullet or carrying power; the consonant the comj)ressed air, or the in^pelling force. To bring to the maximum the impelling force, a prompt, vig- orous action of the organs of articulation must be secured. The chief characteristic of a consonant is its obstructive- uess; two organs of articulation come in contact, prevent- ing the free passage of voice or breath, the air in the cavi- ties back of the obstruction is compressed, and its escape produces tluit quality of sound known as a consonant. Strength of contact and (juickiiess of recoil in the action of the organs of articulation are the two points to be worked for. Lazy action produces that sloppy indistinctness com- mon to invalids, persons lacking in energy, and di-unkards whose muscles are not under the control of the will. Lack of promptness in relinquishing the positions assumed while molding the consonant, carried to the extreme, results in stuttering; in a less pronounced form, in an over-pedantic distinctness, a common affectation among teachers, Avho wish to be exceedingly-particular-and-to-have-every-word- correct. This should be guarded against. In the action of the body, perfect grace is only attained when an action is performed with ease as well as with precision. A\' hen attention is called to the process, or effort in any way is suggested, it is tiresome to the beholder and expensive to the individual. The over-energy expeuded in one process is just so much loss of power in another, indeed, the strongest argument in favor of the cultivation of grace of 60 i< OTES. G I 62 NOTES. -MOLDING CON'SON.VXT KLKMKNT. 03 body, correct use of voice and the organs of speech is, that an awkward movement means an nnduo expenditure of energy. We are too apt to view these mtitters from the aesthetic standpoint alone — excellent as an accomplish- ment but not an essential, forgetting that that which pertains to man's two principal means of expression must be, of necessity, of the liighest importance and thoroughly practical. Exercises to be used in connection with vocal chart for improving the consonant element: 1. Take the representative consonants p, f, t, 1, k, as- sume each position forcibly and silently in succession, re- taining each for a second or more, then suddenly relinquish. Be sure that this action is purely local, and that there is no accompanying action of the diaphragm. Tlie natural tendency is, when one set of muscles act vigorously, for the other muscles to follow suit and vice versa. The greatest degree of perfection is obtained when the muscles act inde- pendently, or collectively at will. The frequent scraping of the throat Avhen speaking loudly, the result of an un- necessary contraction of the throat, and the inability to be heard in the quiet use of the voice, because of the lack of energy in producing the consonant, will emphasize the benefit to be derived from this independent action on the part of the muscles. In the expression of grief, sympathy, tenderness or despair, emotions which relax the muscles of the thorax, the projection of the tone depends largely upon the distinctness and vigor with which the organs of articu- lation perform their work. It is safe to affirm that with clear enunciation and the ability to place the voice, at will, at the front of the moirth, the problem of being heard in the largest hall is solved. Be very careful in all practice with the consonants that the posterior pillars of the soft 64 OKDER OK y.XKKrfSF.S. palate are not coiitnicied. In all practice where force is required, the great danger lies in this tendency to contract the wrong muscles, a tendeiun' which is not only an extrav- agant expenditure of force, but the prolilic source of two- thirds of the ])ad voices in America. 2. Give the consonants (p, f, t, 1, k) with active whisjjer. Be careful in this exercise to leave the throat free. Anv scraping, uncomfovtaljie feeling in the throat resulting from the exercise will denote contraction of ihe wrong muscles, and is to be avoided. Imagine that the tone is produced at the front of the mouth, drop the head lifelessly fi-oni side to side, forwai'd and back, while practicing this exercise. 3. Give the consonants with vowels explosively: pa, fa, ta, la, ka. jieer, feer, teer, leer, keer. pair, fair, tair, lair, kair. poor, foor, toor, loor, koor pore, fore, tore, lore, kore. This gives practice with different vowels, some of which are more difficult than others to project, owing to their tendency to slip back in the mouth, 4. Repeat the consonants b, d, g, v, twice. Use care in the practice of this exercise. Do not give with regular- ity to children under sixteen years of age. It will be understood that the exercises so lar given liave been for tiie purpose of improving the articulatory i:)rocess alone. Articulation refers to the process of cutting out or molding the voice into separate elements; ])ronunciation is the combining of the elements iiifo syllables and words; accentuation is tlio discrimiiuition of one or more syllables througii a variation of pitch. The first two processes MOl.DIJfG CONSOXAXT ELEMENT. 65 come under the head of quality, the third under that of jiitch. Of course, teachers will understand that these exercises are to be given only where they are needed for any slovenly or imperfect action of the organs of articulation. Call as little attention as possible to a child having these defects, as it only makes him more self-conscious, and intensifies the fault. Give him a good model and rather insj^ire him to do what you can do, than to feel that he needs to do it. "I can do this, see if you can," is the effective argument of the play-ground and should be that of the school-room, especially Avith youngest children. Make children of an older growth as wretched and con- scious as you please of a defect, if, at the same time, you plainly point out the remedy; but with young children lead them to do that Avhich will overcome a defect without making them over-conscious about it. BELL'S YOWEL TABLE. 1, eel. 14, pool. 2, ill. 13, pull. 3-1, iilo. la-l*! pole. 4, ell. 11, Paul. / 5, shall. 10, on, doll. 6, earl; 7, ask; 8, art; 9, up. 8-1, isle; 8-14, owl; 11-1^, oil. y 14, you. 66 NOTES. 07 Y.SIS Of i'.KLL's \0\VKL I'.VBJvE. 77 oo — broocli. ou — soul, furlough, poultry, niouki, though, dough, borough. (t\v — crow, blow, troAv, low, tow, shadow, mower, lower, owe. owe — owe. Vowel l■^, represented by o — wolf, woman, bosom. n — pull, put, butcher, cuckoo, jiush, cushion, puss, sugar, fully, pulpit, oo — book, good, woods, foot, stood, wood. avooI. ou — would, could, should. Vowel 14, represented by aou — caoutchouc, eux — ticdouloureux. o — to, do, who. into, tomb, lose, ])rove. iu — giust. oue — denouement. u — rule, true, rue, ruby, druid, rliubarb, sumach, ew — chew, brew, threw, grew, lewd, shrewd, ewe — brewed, eu — rheumatism, oe — shoe, canoe, oeu — manoeuvre. 00 — woo. bloom, cuckoo, poor, gooseberry, whoop, cool, boot, too, sooth. ooe — wooed, ou — through, rendezvous, roue, youthful, croup, ragout, you, tour, route, group, ne — rue, issue, accrue, true, flue, ui — fruit, recruit, bruise, juice, sluice. Diphthong 8-14 ao — giaour, ou — thou, around, found, our, vouchsafe, founda- 78 ORDER OF EXERCISES. tion, eoucli, cloud, Ijounteous, conntenance, fountain, ough — plough, drought, dough t3\ ow — cowl, cow, vowel, avow, bow, how, brow, frown, growl, crown. Diphthong 8-1. represented by i — idol, idle, idyl, excite, diameter, vial, iota, ivy, viaduct, science, I'll, blithe, aspirant, saliva, y — by, my, sky, papyrus, scythe, awry, why, lyre, cycle, rhyme, ais — aisle, ay — bayou, aye — aye. eigh — height, sleight, heigh-ho. eye — eyeing, ic — indict, ie — lie, die, vie, hie. is — isle, ig— sign, igh — high, upright, night, blight, oi — choir, ui — guide, guile, xiy— buy, guy. ye — dye, rye, bye. Diphthong 11-1, represented by oe — obw. oi — coin, oil, moiety, cloister, hoist, anoint, joint- ure, rhomboid, embroider, foible, toilsome, avoid, groin, noiseless. oy — boy, poignant, envoy, ])oyish, loyalty, oyster, alloy, joy, destroy, toy, coy. eoi — bourgeois. J^OTES. 79 80 JM OTEH. ANALYSIS OF BELL's VOWEL TABLE. 81 Y 14, represented by u — stupid, volume, use, exuberant, dupe, duteous, impugn, centuries, literature, nature, impromp- tu, tutor, future, eu — feud, ew — dew, few, new, blew, stew, sewer, renew, news, gewgaw, knew, ue — imbue, virtue. TiiL'sday, avenue, pursue, ensue, blue, ui — suit, puisne, pursuit, uh — buhl. eu — neuter, feud, iDseudo. ewe — ewe. eau — beauty, beauteous, iew — view, leu — adieu, lieu, yew — yew. you — you. yu— yule. Correspondence of the Lumbers Used to Designate THE Vowel Sounds of Bell's Yowel Table WITH '' Key to Pronunciation " Worcester's Dictionary.* :i, long, fate, aid, lace, pain, player = 3 — 1. a, short, fat, man, lad, carry = 5. a, long before r, fare, bare, pair, bear = 4. a, Italian or grave, far, father, farther, calin = 8. a, intermediate ) « , i i « , , -.1 fast, branch, grasp, grass == 7. between a and ii) ^ o i o a, broad, fall, haul, walk, wrirm = ll. a, slight or obscure, liar, palace, courage, abbacy =. — ob- scure, f e, long, mete, seal, fear, keep= 1. g, short, met, men, sell, ferry =4. e, like a, heir, there, where = 4. e, short and obtuse, her, herd, fern, fervid = 6. B, slight and obscure, brier, fuel, college, celery =. — ob- scure, f I, long, pine, file, find, mild, fire = 8 — 1. I, short, pin, fill, miss, mirror = 2. i, like long 6, mien, machine, police, marine ==1. 1, short and obtuse, sir, fir, bird, virtue = G. i, slight or obscure, elixir, ruin, respite, ability =. — ob- scure, f *T was oblig:o(l to omit certain diacritical marks as tVie printer could not procure tliem. The read(>r Avill please copy marks from dictionary. tObscure; short sound, or long shortened in pronouncing- an unac- cented syllable. 82 bell's Towr:i, tm!Li:. 83 5. long. note, roal, to\vl. = 12 — 14: sOre = 12 — r. 6, short. not, dun, odd, borrow = 10. o, long and close, move, prove, food, soon = 14. o, broad, like broad a, nor, form, sort, ought = 11. o, like short v1, son, done, come, money = 9. o, slight or obscure (actor, okt G — r) confess, felony, purpose = 10. f n, long, tnbe, tune, snit, fame, ptjre = y 14. u, short, tub, tun, hut, hurry =0. u, middle or obtuse, bCdl, pull, ffdl, bush, pfish = 13. ii, short and obtuse, fur, murmur, hiirt, fiii'ther = 6. u, long and close, I i i <- + -, < ,., °^ . ^ y rule, rude, brute, truce = 14. like o in move, ) u, slight or obscure (sulphur, s 9 1 f — r) famous ==9. (Deputy = d 4 p y 14 t 2). y, long type, style, lyre =8 — 1. y, slioi't, sylvan, symbol, crystal = 2. y, short and obtuse, myrrh, myrtle = 6. y, slight or obscure, truly, envy = 2. (Martyr=m 8-t 6-r.) (ii and oy, boil, foil, boy, toy ^11 — 1. ou and 6w, b5und, town, now = 8 — 14. ew, like long n, few, new, new==y 14. CONSONANTS. 9, soft, like s a9id, placid, illicit = s. c, hard, like k, flaccid, sceptic = k. ch, hard, like k, character, chasm k. 9h, soft, like sh, 9haise, 9hevalier=sh. cli (unmarked), like tsh, charm, church ==t, sh. g, hard, Get, Give, Gift = g. g, soft, like j, gender, giant = d, zh. 84 ORDER OF EXERCISES. s, soft, like z, muse, choose, dismal = z. X, soft or flat, likegz, example, exist = gz. th, soft, flat or vocal — this, thee, then, breathe =th', th (unmarked), sharp — thin, think, pith, breath =th" j tign ) ... . ( nation and notion / , •J . Mike shun, j . -, . . -=sh. ( siyn ) ( pension and mission ' confusign, vision =zli. j ocean, testacean i optician, logician commercial \ controversial >■ = sh. partial, martial ) [ farinaceous sign, like zhun, jcean) 1 . h like shan, ( Clan ) sh. like shal. like shus. sh. -> capacioiis ( sententious J (courageous) ^^^j^^ ( religious ) qu (unmarked), like kw, queen, quill =k, w wh (unmarked), like hw, when, while = wli. ph (unmarked), like f, phantom, seraph =f. t like jus. USE OF BELL'S TO WE I. TABLE WITH WEB- STEK'S DICTIONARY. a, long. Jis in :T, short, as in e, long, as in e, short, as in 7, long, as in T, short, as in G, long, as in o, short, as in n, long, as in II, short, as in y, long, as in y, short, as in ale, filto, chilmber, gray ==3 — 1. add, fiit, have, random == 5. eve, meat, peace, seizure = 1. end, met, check, leopard = 4. ice, fine, mire, thrive = 8 — 1. ill, fin, admit, tribute = 2. ("1(1, note, Inaf, depose = 12 — 14, odd, not, t(jrrid, resolve = 10. fise, tube, lute, feridul = yl4. us, tdb, biit. study =11. Hy, style, sky, edify = 8 — 1. cyst, nymph, lyric, abyss = 2. OCCASIOXAJ. SOUNJ)S. I. a,, as in air, share, pair, bear = 4. 3, Italian, as in iirrn, father, far, piilm = 8. a, as in ask, grass, dance, branch ==. a, broad, as in all, talk, haul, swarm = 11. a, like short o, as in what, wander, wallow =10. e, like a, as in ere, there, heir, wh(^'ie = 4. e, like long a, as in eight, prey, obey==o — 1. ?, as in ermine, verge, prefPr^ 6. y, like long e, as in pi(|ue. machine, i)orice^ I. 1, like 6, as in irksome, virgin, thirsty = (j, 6, like short u, as in (Sther. (hnu;, S(')n, w<')n = 9. Q, like long 00, as in pn)ve. , UK.ne, t()mb =14, 85 80 ORDER OF EXERCISES. o, like short oo, as in bosom, wylf, woman = 13. o, like broad a, as in order, form, stork == 11. 50, as in moon, food, booty ^ 14. Oo, as in wool, foot, good = 13. OCCASIOXAL SOUXDS. 2. u, preceded by r, as in rude, nxmor, rural = 14. 1.1, like short oo, as in bull, i)ut, push, jjull = 13. u, as in ni'ge, burn, furl, conciir = G. e, i, (Italic) mark a letter as silent. Fallen, token, cousm, mason. REGULAR DIPHTHOXGAL SOUNDS. oi, or oy (unmarked), as in oil. join, moist, oyster, toy^ 11—1. on, or ow (unmarked), as in out, hound, owl, vowel = 8—14. CONSOIvrANTS. 9, soft, like s sharp, as in yede, ^ite, mergy, ac9ept = s. +•, hard, like k, as in f-all, -t-on-pur, sut;cess == k. ch, (unmarked) as in child, much, touching ^t, sh. yl), soft, like sh, as in yhaise, marghioness, maghine = sh. fh, hard, like k, as in <^'horus, epofh, disti€h==k. i^, hard, as in get, tiger, begin, foggy ==g. g, soft, like j, as in gem, engine, elegy, suggest ==• d, zh. s, sharp (unmarked), as in same, yes, dense, rest = s. s, soft, or vocal, likez, as in has, amu§e, prison, reside = z, til, sharp (unmarked), as in thing, breath, sympatiiy = th". til, flat or vocal, as in thine, sinnoth, wither ^th'. iig (unmarked), as in '"^""g, singer, single = ng. n, as in linger, link, uncle = U. NOTES. 87 yS NOTES. bell's vowel table. 89 $, like gz, as in c$.ist, c:^tiin})le, :iu$ili!iiT ==gz. ph, like f (unmarked), as in phantom, sylph, philosophy = f. Qu, like kw (unmarked), as in queen, conquest, inquiry = k\v. wh, like hw (unmarked), as in what, when, while = wh. GENERAL VOWEL RULES. An elision lengthens the vowel frequently. Examples: (.'tiniiot, ]\Siit; will not, wl'i-14nt. A\'e generally go from clo.se to open in si)eech. A\'e are so rclnctiint to give a vowel withont a preceding consonant sound, that "we are ai)t to give instead of the jn-eceding omitted consonant ."ouud a stroke of the glottis, which in some langnages is a reguUir consonant. VOWEL 8. An followed by n and another consonant has the sound of 8. Exaynple-s: Aunt, launch, laundry. VOWEL 11. It belongs to the back round scale, so called because the back of the tongue is used and lips rounded from 10 to 11 inclusive; as j^ou come down the scale from 14 to 10 the lips are less and less rounded. The quality of all these vowels will be more or less marred by improi)er rounding of the lips. Aw and an are always vowel 1 1. All is generally 11. Exaqotions : Shall, mall. Some words now spelled with one 1, but formerly having had two, still hold the same pronunciation. Examples: Although, altogether, already, etc. Or has frequently vowel sounds of 11, when r is in the same phonetic syllable. ExviptioiDi : Fort, port, etc. Or at the end of a word is G-r. Example: Actor, 5kt- G-r; Creator, kr3-ltC-r. Sometimes Al, followed by 90 GENERAL VOWEL RULES. 91 another consonant equals 11. Examples: Salt, halt, bald, waltz. The fault in vowel 11 is that people generally give 10. A in Al followed by another consonant is 11. Exam- ple: Alter, palter. Exception: 5 5 5 5 Alternate, Defalcate, Altercation, Balsamic. VOWEL 13, Vowel 13 is almost 14; the difference being, 13 is always short and 14 is always long. Butcher, bosom, woman — vowel 13, VOWEL 14. Vowel 12-14 commonly called long o. It is almost a universal fault in America in words con- taining 12-14 to omit the glide and use only 12. Examples of words where 12 is given instead of 12-14: Throat, coat, boat, bolt, soa|i, boast, toast, smoke, whole, wholly, coax, poker. When long o is immediately followed by r in the same phonetic syllable, omit the glide 14, give only 12. Ex- ample: yore, yl2r, more, ml2r, sore, sl2r. As a rule we expect vowel oo to be vowel 14 in English. There are the following exceptions to above rule: Exception 1. Stood, wood, good, wool, hood, foot — 13. ExceiMon 2. Blood, flood — vowel 0. Exception?). Door, floor, brooch — 12-14. After a consonant, 14 is commonly given instead of yl4, but it is decidedly wrong except in the following in- stances: Exception 1. After r in the same syllable, omit y and sound only 14. Examples: rule, rl41; rude, rl4d. Exception 2. Immediately following 1, in the same 92 OKDEB OF EXERCISES. syllable, omit y, sound only 14. Example: Lunatic, 114- n3-lt2k: Lucy, Ll4s5>. Exce23tion to the above rule: lute, lyl-it. Excejitioii 3. After j, which equals dzh, omit y, sound only vowel 14. Example: June, Dzhl4n; Jew, Dzhl4. Exception 4. After sound of sh or zh omit tlie y. Sound only vowel 14. Examples: Sure, slil4-r, azure, 3-lzhl4-r. FIXAL E. Rule. Final e is generally silent in English. Examples: Unite, combine, recline. Exceptions: Apostrophe, catastrophe, extempore, epitome. Though silent, final e is not useless, but has the follow- ing effects. 1. Final mute e lengthens the preceding vowel in mon- osyllables when preceded by one consonant. Examples: wag, Avage; rag, rage; gag, gage; rat, rate; mat, mate. 2. Final mute e immediately following g changes its sound to dzh known as j. Examples: wag, wage; sag, sage; gag, gage. 3. Final mute e immediately following th' changes it to til'. Examp)lcs: Cloth, clothe; bath, bathe. We exj^ect e before final u to be silent. Europe. 4. E before final 1 is pronounced. Exceptions: drivel, mantel, shekel, snivel, 'ravel. grovel, navel, shovel, weasel, hazel, ousel, shrivel, rivel, 5. E before final n is silent. The following is a list of exceptions to above rule: abdomen, marten, omen, liyphen, acumen, mitten, patten. kitchen, aspen, mynchen, platen. latten. f^EXEUAL VOWEL IlLLES. 9;} bitumen, legiimen, women, linen, sudden. cntechuiiu'ii, [)o]len, eerunu'n. regimen, chicken, fliimen, tickeii. linen, hymen, woolen. seven, sloven, specimen, sudden, siren. ARTICLES A, AX A XI) THE. If we wish to use the article an before a word begin- ning with h, it must be accented on the second syllable. Example. An historical work; a history. An is also used before words beginning with a vowel. A is used before words beginning with consonant sounds. The' before a vowel. The" before a consonant. A^ usually. A^^ when very emphatic. BELL'S COXSOXAXT TABLE. Breath. Voice Nasal Voice P. b, ra. Lips. - f. 1^ V. 't. d. n. s. z. Point of tongue. < th^ sh. th^ r'. P. zh. Top of tons^ne. - y^ y'- Back of tongue. < k. glide r. (-r) Consonant Combinations. J or soft g =d, zh. Long 11 =yl4 L Ch = t, , h;sb k. Qu = kw PI. =f. '^■ r S. X = .?z. C=^ k. ksh. z. ks. sh. 94 KOTES. 95 rjQ NOT£&. ANALYSIS OP CONSONANT ELEMENT. Breath Coj^sostants. P represented by p — paper, lip, prop, pipe, pe — snipe, ripe, dupe, stripe, pp — appear, opposite, apple, gh — hiccongli. pli — diphthong, naphtha, triphthong. Wh represented by wh — when, why, wheel, whip, whoa. F represented by f — fail, fife, few, raft, fool, refute, whereof, fight, fe — knife, rife, life, if — snuff, off, stuff, cuff, offer, ph — monograph, johotograph, phalanx, cipher, pph — sapphire. If— half, calf, gh — laugh, rough, enough. T represented by t — hot, sat, time, take, trust, tit, tat. te — hate, state, mute, route, Kate, ed — marked, stopped, strapped. tt — mutter, stutter, butter, latter, ct — indict, victuals. ght — might, wight, taught, bought, eight, pt — receipt, redemption, th — thyme, bt — debt, subtle. 97 98 uRDEK OF EXEECISliS. S represented by s — sissy, sick, silly, sally, save. sc — science, sciolic. sch — schism, ps — psalm, psycliology. ss — less, mess, kiss, liiss. z — waltz, quartz, chintz, sth — isthmus, sw — sword. Th^ represented by th — thin, think, path, moth, oath, cloth, mouth, herewith. E^ represented by r — prayer, fray, try, stray, shred, through, thread, shrink, cry. L^ represented by 1 — clear, please, fly, fling, flute, sly, slave, clove, frill, tie — kettle, little, mettle, castle, subtle, ual — victuals. Sh, represented by sh — shrink, shore, push, shall, su — sure, sugar, insure, sumac, ceo — farinaceous, chs — fuchsia, sch — schist. ci — social, associate. c — oceanic, ocean. ti — friction, portion, sentient, ratio, gentian. si — pension, passion, aversion. ch — machine, chaperon, chagrin. Y^, represented by i — Christian. ANALYSIS OF CONSONANt ELKMKXT. 99 and in connection v/itli vowel 14, by u — stupid, tune, literature, nature, ilute, fugue, eo — feodal. ew — flew. ue — ensue, Tuesday. ui — suit, pursuit, eu — feud, pseudo. yu — yule. K, represented by c — care, cat, cake, licorice, candid, q — liquid, liquor, cli — cliord. Christian, chrome, drachma, ck — thick, stick, kick, j^ick, lackey, ke — lake, stake, rake, stroke, Luke. Ik— walk, talk, folk, balk, qu — quay, coquette, etiquette, que — casque, pique, unique, cell — Bacchus, bacchante, cq — lacquer. H, represented by ha — hard, had, hate, he — hen, held, hero, hei — height. hi — hive, annihilate. ho — home, holy, horn, horrid, hu — hum, huge, hug, hurt, hai — hail, hair, ban — exhaust, haul. Voice Coxsoxants. B, illustrated by b — back, bib, sob, bob, disturb, be — robe, lobe, cube, babe, pb — cupboard, bb — ebb, rabble, stubble, bubble. 100 ORDKK OP EXEKClSES. W, represented b}' Av — wen, weeji, Avear, witch, weal, o — one, once, u — snite, queen, quick. V, represented by V — vivid, vail, vim. ve — valve, hive, cove, solve, evolve, ph — nephew, Stephen, f— of. D, represented by d — do, done, deal, din, den, end, mud, bind, raid. Id — would, could, should, de — fade, tide, bide, lade, rode, dd — add, odd, noddle, addle, fiddle. Z, represented by z — zero, zion, zone, zebra. s — was, is, does, busy, knows, tries, goods, rugs, se — amuse, noise, rouse. sp — raspberry. cz — czar, czarina. X — Xerxes, Xenophon. ti — transition. ce — sacrifice, suffice, st — mistletoe. Th', represented by th — then, this, that, thither, therefore, than, the, thus, they, those, the — clothe, breathe, lathe, swathe, bathe. R', represented by r — rub, rat, bright, ran, rear, roar, bring, drab, rh — rhythm, rhetoric, rheumatic. wr — wreak, wrack, wrist, wreath, wren, rr — merrier, terrier, barrier. ANALYSIS OF CONSONANT ELEMENT. 101 Glide r, represented by r — fear, fare, earl, far, for, fore, poor, erring, glory, Mary, her. L', represented by 1 — let, Lucy, peal, light, Lear, link, lost, le — mile, hole, tile, smile, gl — intaglio, seraglio. In — kiln. 11 — stall, call, mull, doll, die — addle, saddle, sle — isle, aisle. ual — victuals. Zh, represented by s — pleasure, measure, treasure, z — azure, seizure, ge — rouge, zi — brazier, glazier, si — adhesion, fusion, illusion, osier. Y', represented by y — ye, yet, yeast, yellow, your, yolk, i — Spaniard, Indian, minion, poniard, intaglio, brilliant, million, onion, j — hallelujah. G, represented by g— gay, leg, stag, grave, go. gh — ghostly, ghoul, aghast, gue — rogue, fugue, brogue, vogue, vague, gu — guide, guard, guerdon, guild, guest. gg—egg, aggravate, buggy, ragged. Nasal Voice. M represented by m — Max, mate, many, form, clam, aim, more, mm — gammon, Emma, immense, gm — phlegm, diaphragm, apothegm. 102 ORDER OF EXERCISES. mn — hymn, autumn, solemn, damn, mb — lamb, jamb, bomb. Im — salmon, alms, calm. dim — drachm. N represented by n — not, nice, no, loin, thin, loon, neat, mp — accomptant. comptroller, nn — Hannah, Finn, Lynn, funny, kn — knack, knead, knee, knife, knot, knuckle, gn — sign, gnome, gnaw, gnat, gneiss, gnu, reign, campaign. ten — hasten, often, soften. en — seven, eleven, heaven, driven, in — cousin, raisin, basin, on — reason, season, bacon, reckon, beckon, hn — John, dn — Wednesday. mn — mnemonic, mnemosyne, mnemotechny. nd — handsome. Ng represented by n — frank, tank, drink, think, sink, precinct, ng — angry, calling, singing, bang, hang, tongs, nd — handkerchief, ngue — tongue. iiOTES. 103 104 JSOTES. ORGANS OF ARTICULATION. The organs of articulation are the lower jaw, lips, tongue, cheeks, hard palate, soft palate and nose. In treating of articulation, we speak of the tongue as divided into three sections, the front, the top and the back of the tongue; and of the roof of the mouth us divided into upper gum, spring of palate, hard palate and soft palate. By the front of the tongue we mean the rounded end which fits exactly into the curve of the upper teeth in sounding t or d. The top of the tongue includes the front and middle upper surface. By the spring of the palate we mean the arch of the roof of the mouth, just back of the upper gum. The hard palate extends as far back as the soft or fleshy part, which we call the soft palate; the little drop or curtain Avhich can be seen at the back of the mouth, and which forms the end of the soft palate, is the uvula. In the articulation of an element, there is always an active and a passive organ involved. The active organs of articulation are the lower jaw, lips, tongue, cheeks. The passive organs of articulation are the hard palate, soft palate and nose. 105 FOEMATION OF ENGLISH CONSONANTS. All consonant sounds are more or less obstructive; tliose in which the sound is modified by the action of the lips are p, b, m, w, wh, f and v. In p, b and m the obstruction at the lij^s is complete; in ]) and b the lips are closed firmly, and parted suddenly by a puff of breath; in m the current of vocalized breath passes through the nose. ^Y and wh are the only English consonants in which the lips are rounded; the obstruction is not complete, but the opening is so small that there is a sound of friction. In f and v the middle of the under lip touches the upper teeth, and the breath passes out at the sides. The consonant sounds in which the sound is modified by the point of the tongue are t, d, n, th^ th^ P, P, r^, r\ s and z. In t, d and n the point of tongue fits exactly against upper gum, the closure being comijlete; in n the voice goes through the nose. In th the point of the tongue comes forward between the slightly separated teeth; in the breath element, tlr, it is flattened a little more than in th^ In s and z the point of tongue is raised toward the upper gum without touching it; this position is also slightly modified by top of tongue. In a thick or lisping s the point of tongue is too far forward between the teeth; in a shrill or whistling s, it is carried too far back. In consonant r, the point of the tongue curls back nearly to the spring of the palate; in glide r it is only lOti FORMATION OF ENGLISH CONSONANTS. 107 slightl}- raised. To make glide r, start from vowel G and curl the point of tongue ver}' slightly back from that point. In 1, the point of the tongue is placed against the upper gum, but the obstruction is not complete; the breath flows over the sides of the tongue. In sh and zh the top of. the tongue is near the hard pal- ate, position slightly modified by point of tongue, teeth nearly shut. In y, the tongue is raised from the position of vowel e, the obstruction being not complete, but enough to produce friction. This diiference, as Avell as tlie difference between vowel 14 and consonant w, illustrates the distinction between vowels and consonants — it is a difference in space, making the second obstructive Avhile the first is non-obstructive. Vowel 1 and consonant y are an excellent example as well of the fact that in nature such a thing as a strict classifica- tio7i does not exist. In k, g and ng the back of the tongue is against the soft palate, making a complete obstruction; in ng the current of breath passes through the nose. B. B in the combination mb is almost universally silent. Exceptions: succumb, rhomb. C. C has no fixed sound in English; it equals s, k, sh or z. Examples: c=k, candy, clandestine; c=s, century, cer- tain, cinder; c=sh, social, ocean, farinaceous, associate; c=z in sacrifice. C before e, i or y=s; in other cases, usually/ k. D. D in final ed often equals T. Examples: Asked, passed. 108 OKDEB OF EXERCISES. F is phonetic f except in of. where it has the sound of v; but when of forms the last syllable of a compound word, f retains its own sound. Examples: Avhcreof , thereof. (J. As a general rule in Fnglish, g before e, i and y has the sound of j or dzh. Uxamplcs: ginger, genius, gyve. The following is a list of exceptions to above rule: auger, shagged, giggle, snaggy, cragged. snagged, giggler, spriggy, dagger, dogged, eager, finger, gear, gearing, geese, gild, gilding, gelt, get, gewgaw, linger. longer. stagged, stronger, strongest, swagger. tiger, youngest, younger, begin, begging, digging, druggist, forgive, gibber, gibberish, giggler, gild,- gills, gimbel, gimp, gingham, gird, girtle, give, gizzard, boggy, buggy, cloggy, craggy, dreggy. If we add a common termination, as ing, to a root ending in the sound of g, changed. Examples: foggy, doggish, lagging. H. twaggy. longest, pettifogger, ragged, rugged, scragged, Gibbons, gibby, gilt, gig-- foggy, knoggy, u^^ggy- scraggy. shaggy, y, ish, est, ed or the sound is not biggest, dogged. H is written in neither the vowel nor consonant tables, but is generally a whispered vowel. Examples: hill, hale, hole, hall, his, her, him, here, hunt, horse, FORMATION OF ENGMSFt CONSON'ANTS. 109 II is ofenemlly sounded when ul the beginning of iisylhi- ble. Ux((wples: exhunst, exhibit, house. Sole exceptions: herb, honest, honor, liostler, lieir, hour, and derivatives. H is a whispered vowel, except when it comes before u, when it is a whispered y. J. J==dzh. Eocamples: June. January. Exception: luil- lelujali. L. L is V whenever 1 immediately follows a non-vocal in the same syHable, as play, plume, fling. But it is 7iever V at the end of a word. Apple, V. L is often silent before m, j or v. Examples: Calm, salve. When 1 immediately followed by a spelled consonant is silent, it changes the preceding vowel. Examples: jisal- mody, 5; psalm, 8. N. N generally has the sound of n. It has the sound of ng when in monosyllables it comes before k or g. Exam- ples : singer, bank, ink. In words of more than one syllable n=ng when it comes before k or g and is in the accented syllable of the word. Examjilcs: n=ng — banker, finger. Exceptions: precinct, ng in an unaccential syllable; nigot, phonetic n in an accented syllable. Common terminations do not generally change the Avord to which they are added. The following are exceptions, the g sound being added to the ng: longer, longest; stronger, strongest; younger, youngest; diphthongal, triphthongal. 110 ORDER OF ElERCiSES. Xg ill Enirlish is always :i final consonant — i. e. at the (Mid of a s\nal)lo or word. r. I* between in an(1 1 is o-cnorally silent. Examples: Symptom, einptv. Q. Q is never used without \\ following, and is equivalent to kw. In words from the French, it is k alone. Eocam- rAe: quadrille. E. Ti. Consonant r and glide r. Kule 1. When it immediately precedes a vowel sound in the same syllable it is consonant r. Examples: rat, ring, run, roll, race, repeat. 2. Glide r is used when it is immediately preceded by a vowel in the same syllable (or when it is final r), except when the word immediately following commences with a vowel ; then the final r is consonant. Examples: word, her (glide r), her own (consonant r). 3. When r comes between two vowels the first of which is long we have two r's — the first a glide and the second a consonant r. Examples: glory, gr"-rr"; Mary, M 4-rr-. li is never entirely silent in English except in some cases of double r. 4. Glide r is used only after long vowels. Examples: here, pore, air. Tn correct spoken English, there is no trilled r. Glide r is used after long words only. Vowels 2, 5, 9, 10, 13, always short; vowel 4 is commonly short, but before sound of r it is long. Examples: Mary, there. p]yery word that rhymes with there, 4-r. II opens 3-1 to four. Vowels 1 and 14 are long in accented syllables. Vowels 6 and 8 are generally long in English. ifOTES. Ill 112 NOTES. FORMATION OF KN(il,lSIl CONSONANTS. 113 8. S is usually phouetic s, but sometimes sh, z or zh. Mis and trans used as prefixes always have sound of s. Exarnples: misapplied, mistaken, transverse, transatlantic. In the prefix dis, it is commonly s. When the accent is on the second syllable i. e. the one after the prefix, and that syllable begins with a true vowel or a vocal consonant, s has the sound of z. Examples: dishonor, dismiss, dis- grace. Before a non-vocal, s, as dissemble. Exceptions to this: dissolve, dessert — z before a non-vocal. We expect s before c to be phonetic s, as ascetic, fasci- nate. Exception: discern — sound of z. In the final syllable of adjectives and some nouns, when s is followed by final e, it is phonetic s; when a verb ends in se, the s is z. >■ verbs. s. z. T . ( diffuse, ( close. diffuse, close, nouns i ^'^^®' ' ( mouse. rise, mouse. S is zh in pleasure, measure, T. treasure, etc. T is silent in soften, often, etc. It is silent when preceded by s, and followed by the abbreviated syllables en and le: chasten, hasten, nestle, mis- tletoe. X. X is usually equivalent to ks. Examples: exile, expose, exit. It sometimes equals ksh, gz and z. 1. At the end of words it generally equals ks. Exam- ples: tax, lax, borax, climax, thorax. 2. It is gz when it conies before an accented syllable 114 OKDER OF EXERCISES. beginning with a vowel, or an h. Long u is here called a vowel. Examples: luxurious, exhume, exist, exult. 3. X beginning a word generally has the sound of z. Examjiles: Xerxes, Xenoplion. 4. X sometimes has the sound of ksh in the center of words. Examples: anxious, 5nksh9s; complexion, kom- pll 4ksh9n. 5. If the secondary accent falls on the syllable contain- ing X it equals ks, although in the primitive it nuiy have had the sound gz, or vice versa, but exultation, exaltation fol- low their primitives. Examples: exhibition, exhalation, exhortation — x=ks. Doxology, proximity and exude are exceptions to gen- eral rule, X in these having the sound of ks not gz. X=GZ. X=KS. exact exit exist " execute exalt exile exult extreme exhaust expose exhale expound exhibit exempt CII. Ch has no fixed sound in English. It sometimes equals tsh, k and sh. Examples: Ch=tsh: church, lurch. Ch=k: schooner, school. Ch=sh: champagne, chamois. TH. 1, Th is sometimes voiced and sometimes not. Voiced it is th\ breath th^ As a general rule th at the beginning and end of words has only breath. Examples: bath, thumb, thing, wreath. FORMATION oj' i;n(;lish consonants. 115 Excepfion 1. Th :it the end of words has voice in the following words: beneath\ underneatli', sniootli'. l)ooth'. withS bequeath^ Exception 2. When teeth or nioutli are used as verbs, they have voice, th\ The plural generally follows rule of singulars. Exam- ples: fifth^, fiftlrs; trutlr, trutlrs; youtlr. youth^s. The following is list of exceptions: batlr, bathes; mouth'*, mouth's; path'*, path's; oath^ oath's; wreath^ wreath's; moth^, moth's; cloth~, cloth's. Exception 3. In the following words th at the begin- ning has voice: this, there, thou, theirs, then, therefore, that, they, them.*\hus, though, tliese, thine, the, thence, than, those, thy, thither, thee. Th followed by final mute e is voiced: Examples: clothe, wreathe. In with, at beginning of compounds, it is th'. Exam- ples: withstand, withstood. At the end of compounds it is th'*. Examples: here- with, forthwith. DOUBLE CONSON"ANTS. When double consonants ofciir in the middle of ti word, as a general rule only one is pronounced. Examples: mat- ter, mat-Or; ladder, lod-Gr; bitter, b2t-Gr, 2. Altliough only one is pronounced, yet double conso- nants are not useless, but affect the following changes: Participles hold the same pronunciation as verbs. E.ram)>h's : purr, })ui'ring„ Wlien the ])refix ends with a sound the radical begins with, both consonants are sounded — i)refixes im, in, il, ir, un. Examples.: immediately, unnatural, illegal, irradicate. AVhen suffixes less and ness are joined to a radical that ends with same sound both are sounded. Examples: meanness, soulless, greenness, guileless. In adding the suffix ly to a word ending in sound of 1, generally there is but one phonetic 1. Excejjtion: When a word of one syllable ending with the sound of 1 takes ly, both are sounded and we have two phonetic I's. Example: full, fully; cool, coolly; whole, wholly. In words of more than one syllable 1 is doubled when its root is accented on the last syllable. . Sole example: genteelly. DiviDTXPx Syllables Phonetically. When possible begin each syllable Avith a consonant soitnd. Examples : in di-vi-si-bi-li-ty, ge-ue-ro-si-ty. In English breath follows breath and voice follows voice usually. L, k, t, w, immediately following a breath consonant, have breath themselves. 116 ENUNCIATION. 1. Lovely art thou, Peace I and lovely are thy children, and lovely are the prints of thy footsteps in the green valleys. 2. Like leaves on trees the life of man is found; Now green in youth, now withering on the ground. 3. What wak'st thou, Spring? Sweet voices in the woods. And reed-like echoes, that have long been mute. 4. Don't you? Ye are men. A. coasting pilot he. Take a car. Let him go. Let me go. I know him well. Let her alone. 5. A cat ran up the ladder with a lump of raw liver in its mouth. 6. Round and round the rough and rugged rocks the rude ragged rascal ran. 7. Socks and shoes shock Susan. 8. A big black bug bit a big black bear. 9. Sara Slick sawed six sleek slim slender saplings. 10. Masses of immense magnitude move majestically through myriads of mammoth multitudinous spheres. 11. 'MVhat whim led White Whitney to whittle, whis- tle, Avhimper and whisper near the wharf, where a flounder- ing whale might wheel and whirl ?" 12. "I said literary, literally, literarily." 13. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; if Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked. 117 118 ORDEK OF EXEKCISES. 14. Tlie stripling sM'iuiger sti-;iycd stniight towards the struggling stream. 15. Swinish sleep. 16. Up the high hill lie heaved a huge, heavy hogshead. 17. Cruel, crafty, cunning, crawling, creeping croco- dile. 18. The vile vagabond ventured to vilify the venerable veteran. 10. She uttered a sharp, shrill shriek and shrunk from the ensliroudcd shrine. 30. Amidst the mists with angry boasts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts. :ll. Now clear, pure, hard, bright, and one by one, like to hailstones. Short words fall from his lips fast as the first of a shower, — Now in two-fold column, Spondee, Iamb and Trochee, Unbroke, firm set, advance, retreat, trampling along, — New with a sprightlier springiness, bounding in tripli- cate syllables, Dance the elastic Dactylics in musical cadences on; Now their voluminous coil intertangling like huge anacondas, lioll overwhelmingly onward the sesquipedalian words. 22. So light to the croup the fair lady he swung. So light to the saddle before her he sprung. 23. Under his spurning feet, the road. Like an arrowy Alpine river, flowed, And the landscape sped away behind. Like an ocean flying before the wind. 24. Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats. Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats. NOTES. 119 120 NOTES. ENUNCIATIOX. 131 Grave old plodders, gay yoiinu- fiiskers, Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins, Pointing tails and pricking whiskers. Families by tens and dozens, Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives. Followed the Piper for their lives. 25. Lord, thoa hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 26. Slow, slow! toll it low. As the sea- waves break and flow; With the same dull, slumbrous motion As his ancient mother Oceaii Rocked him on through storm and calm. From the iceberg to the palm: So his drowsy ears may deem That the sound which breaks his dream Is the ever-moaning tide "Washing on his vessel's side. 27. There stood an unsold captive in the mart A gray-haired and majestical old man Chained to a pillar. It was almost night And the last seller from his place had fjone ; And not a sound was heard but of a dog Crunching beneath the stall a refuse hone. Or the dull echo from the pavement rung As the faint captive changed his weary feet. 'Twas evening and the half-descended sun Tipped with a golden fire the many domes Of Athens and a yellow atmosphere 13a ORDER OF EXERCISES. Lay rich and dusky in llie .shaded street Through whicli tlie captive (jozexl. The golden light into the painter's room Streamed richly and the hidden colors stole From the dark pictures radiantly forth, And in the soft and dewy atmosphere Like forms and landscapes magical they lay. Parrhasiiis stood gazing forgetfully Upon his canvdK. There Prometheus lay Chained to the cold rocks of Mount Caucasus — The vulture at his vitals and the links Of the lame lemnian festering in his flish; And as the painter's mind felt through the dim Rapt mystery and plucked the shadows forth With its far-reaching fancy and with form And color clad Ihem, his fine earnest eye Flashed with a passionate fire and the (juick curl Of his thin nostril and his (luiveriug Up Were like the winged gods breathing from his flight, "Bring me the captive now! My hands feel skillful and the shadows lift From my waked spirit airily and swift And I could paint the bow Upon the bended heavens — around me play Colors of such divinity to-day. The selections under the head of enunoiation are to be used individually or as class exercises. Have pupils repeat slowly with great distinctness each paragraph. Avoid affectation or any exaggerated use of any particular organ. Many teachers in endeavoring to speak distinctly train the lips to move with such painful precision that the effect is ENUNCIATION. 123 fully as disagreeable as it Avould be from a slovenly action. Avoid extremes, and remember "the greatest art is to conceal art," and that whenever effort is apparent there is always a loss of power. All children delight in alliteration, and in all childish play it takes its place with fairy stories, riddles, games, etc. A wise teacher will take advantage of this instinct, and by providing plenty of examples will soon get surpris- ing results in articulation without any apparent effort on the part of the pupils. Insist upon distinctness first, ra- pidity afterward. The last exercise, containing the italicized words, is to be used with the piano. Beginning at middle C, sing the words '' There stood an unsold captive in the — " upon one note; at tlie word ''mart," drop the voice a semitone, and sing the next, "A gray-haired and majestical old man chained to a — " upon B, dropping to B flat upon the word "pillar." Continue this through the first verse, letting the voice fall a semitone at each italicized word. At the second stanza, "Tlie golden light," etc., begin to ascend the scale, using a semitone at each italicized word, and continue through the third, until G above middle C is reached on the last word of the third stanza, "lay." At the fourth stanza, descend the scale. The word-coloring of this selection should be noted and insisted upon in practice. Give full, soft tones as far removed as possible from the hard, metallic voice usually heard in concert practice. The teacher may pass up and down the aisles and correct individual errors; any derelic- tion after a while will be easily distinguished, and time economized. 124 ORDER OF EXERCISES. DRILL UPOH WORDS IN WHICH VOWEL 7 IS USED Advance, Contrast, Pass, After, Dance, Past, Aghast, Disaster, Pastor, Alas, Draft, Plaster, Ask, Enchant, Prance, Asp, Example, Passport, Ass, Fast, I'astime, Basket, Flask, Quaff, Bask, Gasp, Rafter, Bombast, (Ihastly, Rascal, Brass, Glance, Rasp, Branch, Glass, Raspberry, Cask, Grant, Repast, Castle, Hasp, Shaft, Chaff, Last, Surpass, Chance, Mask, Task, Chant, Mast, Vast, Clasp, Pant, Waft. Class, DRILL UPON WORDS IN WHICH Y 14 IS USED. Nucleus, Duel, Tumultuous, Institute, Dutiful, Duke, Avenue, Tuesday, Dubious, Eeduce, Gratitude, Nudity, Longitude, Solitude, Similitude, Introduce, Credulity, Fortitude, Lassitude, Pseudo, Dewy, Literature, Substitute, Costume, Stupid, Tuneful, During, Produce, Tutor, Stupendous, Student, Knew, Dupe, New, Duplicity, Multitude, ENUNCIATION. Nuisance, Tubular. Impugn, Constituent, Assume. Adieu. DRILL IN ARTICULATIOX. Sex, Tax, When, Sects, Tacts, Wen, False, Kiftlis, White, Faults, Sixths, Weight, Patience, 'I'welfths, Whale, Patients, Strength, Wail, Tracks, Deptlis, Which, Tracts, Breadths, Witch, Klines, Warniih. Whirled, Minds, iMontlis. Work!, Axe, Inspects, Whither, Acts, Dense, Wither, Consonants, Dents, While, Consonance, I'ents, Wile, Ducks, Repasts, Whirr, Ducts, Posts, Wirr, Close, Ghosts, Wheel, Clothes, Roasts, Weal, Lass, Boasts. Whine, Lasts, Hosts, Wine, Assistance, Tastes, Whig, Assistants, Coasts, Wig, Prince, Rusts, Whet, Prints, Masts, Wet, Mince, Marked, Where, Mints, Incidents, Wear, Precedence, [neidence. Whist, Presidents, Accidents, Wist, Sense, Wheeled, Whisper, Scents, Wield, Wisper, 125 126 OKDKK OF EXEKCISES. Guss, Whit, Whittle, Gusts, Wit, Whistle, Lax, What, Wheat, Lack'dst, Wot, Wheeze, Why. NOTES. 127 128 NOTES. PITCH OF V^OICE. 1. C, D. E, F: E, D, C. 3. G, A, B, C; B, A, G. 3. Scale (A as in art); middle C to C above. 4. Diatonic scalo (A as in art); middle C to C above 5. Diatonic scale (A as in art), up and down upon one breath. Run rapidly- G. Trill upon two notes the scale. 7. Same with three notes. 8. Sing scale in different keys. 0. Intone the sentence, ''Will you go?'^ and gradu- ally bring it into the sjieaking voice preserving the same key, from middle C down to E below. 10. Carry the same sentence from middle C up to middle E. 11. Pull out tongue, open mouth wide, sing A as in may, prolonging each note softly, up the scale from G above to high C. 11. The same with phonator (A as in art). 13. The wind one morning sprang up from sleep. Saying, '' Now for a frolic, now for a leap I Now for a mad-cap, galloping chase! I'll make a commotion in every place I" 13. Use all the interjections upon different keys, try- ing to color them by different emotions. 129 EXEECISES UPON PITCH. Exercises 1 and 2 are to be used when the scale has not been conquered by a pupil. Sing the notes in No. 1 care- fully, Avithout attempting to teach No. 2 until No. 1 is learned. In teaching a pupil the scale, the difficulty is usually with the ear; as soon as he can hear the notes, or has a clear concept of the sounds and their relations, he can reproduce them. Sing the notes slowly, one after the other as one phrase, each time the exercise is given. Exercises 3 to 8 inclusive are for flexibility of voice. Inflections are a matter of pitch, and a dull monotonous voice can only be helped by the conquering of this medium. The fixed intonations of tlie piano are better as a guide in development than the method common to elocu- tionists, of having the pupil imitate the teacher al- together; even the best teacher is apt to use what is best suited to his own voice, thus unconsciously limiting the range of the pupil instead of giving him the widest he can possibly attain. Exercise 9 helps to break up tlie monotony induced by the habit of starting every selection, of either prose or poetry, upon the same key, regardless of the sentiment to be expressed. Tbe weightier or more important the thought, the lower, as a rule, the pitch — seriousness, solemnity, displeasure, intense surprise, despair, all deep- ening the pitch of the voice. The lighter the emotions and the more trifling the sentiments, the higher the pitch of the voice — joy, gladness, happiness, surprise, spiteful- ness, in the main, being expressed, by a high pitch. 130 EXERCISES UPON PITCIi. l31 The exercise given is to accustom the voice to the use of different pitches, that a bit of light literature may be read easily and naturally in the way best suited to express its thought and, likewise, a serious, dignified poem or prose selection in a key best suited to express the character of its thought. We too often hear some dainty little poem, Nora Perry's ''Tying Her lionnet Under Her Chin," for instance, rendered in a tone that for depth and solemnity would "curdle your blood." Exercise 11. In developing upper tones great care should be taken that the throat is not contracted. Eun out the tongue as far as it will easily and naturally go, hold it be- tween the thumb and finger to ensure its quiescence (a handkerchief placed over the fingers will hold the tongue more securely) and very softly sing a as in may (3-1), ris- ing a semitone at each intonation. Conquer the upper tones of the scale note by note, practicing this exercise several times a day until, one by one, the higher notes can be sung without contracting the throat. Where tlie muscles are felt tightening, when attempting to sing an upper note, decompose the head and jaw, sing softly and lazily the tone until the contraction ceases. The direct purpose of holding the tongue is to teach it in the quickest possible time that it has nothing to do with the production of the attribute of pitch. The holding of the tongue, together with the use of the phonator, helj) to bring about the depression of the back of the tongue ; by their use one great difficulty is often avoided. In trying to forcibly (through an effort of will) hold down the back of the tongue, a second habit of over-energiz- ing the throat muscles is formed, which it is almost as difficult to overcome as the first. Never attempt to force the voice; freedom, if gained at all, will be grad- ually and unconsciously gained; constant effort under I'd'^ OEDEK oi' l.AKBCISES. right conditions alone will give the desired skill and free- dom of use. Exercise 1'^ Take the lirst line of the stanza in a given pitch, raising the pitch at each succeeding line. Exercise 1-h This exercise is almost invaluable for bringing to the puj^il a realizing sense of the fact that quality and pitcli have an important office in a reading les- son. Becaiise the pupil is not trained to think the thought while reading, and is jiot led to concentrate his mind strongly enough upon the thought to have the imagination act normally and the appropriate emotion consecpiently aroused, oral reading has degenerated into a colorless call- ing of words that is in the highest degree detrimental. The object of expression is to develop thought, all expres- sion reacting to intensify the thought. This abnormal expression (which it is the custom to style ''intellectual reading," to indicate its superiority to another form of ab- normal expression styled "elocutionary reading") is, as a means of thought development, useless and worse than iise- less. It bears the same relation to a proper oral reading (talking) that a piece of nasal psalmody sung out of tune does to a properly rendered solo from the Messiah. Elocution is or should be an effort to rightly interpret the thought of an author, using that quality, pitch or force of voice which will best make clear to the listener the thought embodied in the language. Bet^ause some untrained, imperfectly trained, or perhaps unsuccessful teachers of elocution have failed to do this, is not a good and sufficient reason for giving up all attempts to train children to read properly. Neither affectation nor monotony are desirable and, furthermore, are not at all necessary. Use exclamations or interjections colored by different and well-defined emotions, and have the class repeat the same. When they easily and naturally express the various EXERCISES UPON PITCH. 133 emotions, use words colored in the same way, I'ollowing by words associated in sentences. Do considerable of this as an object lesson in expres- sion. If the pupil can once be led to realize the situa- tion, the power and insight so gained will be directly used to break up the marvelously unintelligent delivery so prev- alent to-day. Placing of Voice. The artificial division of quality of voice into orotund, aspirate, pectoral, guttural, oral and nasal has been in every way detrimental to the study of elocution. The teacher embodies the pattern tone in a set sentence, labels it orotund and impresses upon the pupil the fact that it is the appropriate dress of the solemn or the sublime, and is to be used in the rendering of passages exijressive of such emotions. This set form is faithfully jiracticed, until the pupil can reproduce with more or less accuracy the teach- er's every intonation. The puj)il is ready now for other set forms, all labeled, classified and warranted to cover the whole range of human emotions; and the i)ui)il, after a six weeks' course, receives a diploma and is fully prepared to interpret a Shakespeare or a Browning, and instruct others to do the same. This he is fully capable of doing, but it is generally to be noted that in order to adapt himself more nearly to what he judges to be the average capacity of his hearers, he usually confines himself to ''Curfew ilust Not Ring To-night," *' The Seminole's Defiance," "The Gam- bler's Wife," "The Polish Boy," ''The Raven," "The Beautiful Snow," and similar classical selections. An unphilosophical classification always is a limitation. A pupil led to believe that a particular quality (the oro- tund, for instance,) like a jelly mold is to be kept ever ready to impress thoughts of a grand, lofty or sublime nat- 134 OKDEK OF EXEECISES. nre, and that he must turn them out after one pattern, regard- less of the subtle shades which make all thoughts individual, '^^ is cabined, cribbed, confined " at the very start. Fixed patterns of expression, instead of giving freedom to the thought, limit and otherwise restrain the thought power. The special office of expression is to make more intense the conscious activity ; a speaker hamjjered by the con- scious presence of the fixed form adapts the thought to the pattern, and does not allow the thought to fashion and mold the form. "Strength at the center, freedom at the surface" is the true condition of being. Under this prin- ciple, fixed forms of expression mean the restrained and definite limitation at the surface, ratlier than freedom at the surface. The physical reason for this is that the sensorian and great center ganglia of the brain act as a unit, and the highest pedagogical law seems to point to the hypothesis that this unity should never be severed by the form of thought in mere mechanical exer- cise. All the fundamental faults among elocutionists spring from this limiting of thought by set and artificial forms which have sunk into the automatic and are used mechanically. The reasons given above have induced me to substitute 2)lacing of voice for the work usually done under the head of quality. Changes in quality are effected by the impingement of the head of the column of breath against different parts of the mouth or head. To gain control of the epiglottis so that the tone can be directed at will is virtually to possess the power to demonstrate all qualities. This is true freedom, carrying with it the capacity for growth ; if the emotion is experienced, the channel for its expression is open, and naturally, freely it manifests itself. Thought and emotion express themselves through the voice proper, in pitch, in force, in quality. Pure tone NOTES. 135 136 NOTES. EXERCISES IToN ITICI!. 137 is due to the management of the breath-impelling muscles. Use more breath than is necessary to set the chords in motion, and it is heard with the voice as un- vocalized breath. It muddies the tone ; makes it less clear. Energize the muscles of the thorax and the abdomen, impel the breath vigorously against the chords and a loii'l, forcible tone is the result, its ringing, resonant, agreeable quality depending upon the openness of the cavities through which it passes, and its ])lacing. Give a pupil all degrees of force through breathing exercises which teach sustaining and impelling of tone. Give liim command of pitch that the inflectional range of the voice may adequately express his thought. Let him hear the different qualities and learn to produce them at will; in a word, bring about the condi- tions which will set free that living tone which vibrates with his being, pulsates with every emotion of his heart, unlocks the sealed avenues and lets the soul free. VOCAL EXEECISES UPON FIXED INTONA- TIONS FOE THE FRONT PLACING. 1. U as in up. Scale, Stabat Mater. 2. Ung. " " " 3. Hung. " " " 4. Kng. " " " 5. Knee. " " '' 6. Knee, knee, knee, knee, knee, knee. Scale. 7. Knee — ah, knee — ah. Scale. 8. Keep near me. *' 9. They may pay (pa-ay). " 10. Ca-11 on Paul. 11. A as in may; middle (< to E above. 12. UPla=^-^ 13. La* — a^i. 14. Scale, swelling ujjon each tone. 15. C-e»-uy"oi'". Scale. 16. M-ya=^-'. 17. Bugle exercise. 138 YOCAL EXERCISE FOR FRONT PLACING. No. 1. Sing this from C above down the scale to middle C. It is a click, so to speak, of the glottis, and it is to be used for strengthening the chords and to teach direct attack of the tone. Do not permit any feeling for the tone, striking below and slurring up to it. Use this exercise very carefully and only for the purpose indicated. The stroke of the glottis is virtually a throat consonant, performing the office of a consonant and insuring the projection of words beginning Avith a vowel. If this effect is noticeable, obtrudes itself in any way, it is a blemish. No. 2. The syllable umj directs the head of the col- umn of breath to the soft i3alate. Practice it softly, pre- ceding it by tlie stroke of the glottis. No. o. The syllable hv)ig sends the tone into the head, striking the bony framework enclosing the lower pituitary gland. Do not use too much force. Think the tone and send it directly to its placing M'ithout pushing. No. 4. A'y/^ sends the tone to the frontal bone. Think between the eyes; sustain the note steadily, without con- tracting the throat or imshing the tone. No. 5 sends the tone directly to the teeth and sustains' it there, full and resonant. Be careful that the tone does not slip back. The slightest unsteadiness or change of position on the part of the organs changes the quality. No. 6. Tone in the same place, but held firmly while repeating the word. 139 140 ORDER OF EXERCISES. Nos. 7 and 8 present a more difficult combination of elements. During tlie changing position of tlie organs of articulation, the tone is still to be held steadily in the front of the mouth. No. 9 changes the combination of elements and also the pitch, the voice dropping a semi-tone upon ay. No. 10. Same placing, well opened throat and mouth, and changing pitch. No. 11. Pull out tongue, hold it with thumb and finger, and swell the tone; rise a semi-tone at each into- nation. Nos. 12 and 13. The same. No. 14. Begin the tone softly; gradually increase, then softly diminish, retaining the same placing. No. 15. Give the vowels successively as a word of four syllables, placing the tone at the lips. See that the placing does not slip back upon the vowel o^^". Nos. 16 and 17 hold the tone at the lips. (^ As soon us the pupil can hold the tone easily and with surety to the front placing, gradually change the singing voice to the speaking voice,yret;iining the same placing. Frcfjuently illustrate the result to the quality of the voice through the placing of the voice in the head, or at the back of the mouth, in order that the pupil nuiy Iwar and learn to dis- criminate between agreeable and disagreeable elfects. VOCAL EXERCISES UPON FIXED INTONA- TIONS FOR THE CENTER PLACING. 1. Ul'-'-la'", down the scale from iniddlo (< to (1 below. 3. Caw"-au", ■i. Boo"-ah\ 5. VYoe, 6. Alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta. 7. Lord, Avhy hast thou made them err from thy ways? Scale. 8. Carry the singing tone into the sjieaking voice. 141 yOCAL EXERCISES FOR CENTER PLACING. Exercise 1. The syllables iil-la are to be hardly more than breathed down the scale, descending a semitone upon the second syllable at each intonation. Repeat the last tone given and descend another semitone upon the next intonation. Give the tone softly, smoothly and evenly. *' Pour the soul" into the tone. Do not attempt to force the tone or to sing loudly. The roundness, fullness and power desired will gradually come into the tone if it is allowed to grow; whereas a hard, metallic, unpleasant qual- ity 'will be induced if it is in any way forced. Direct the tone to center of mouth. Practice exercises 2 and 3 in same manner. Exercise 4 is sustained upon one note, beginning softly and increasing the force of the tone upon the second syllable. Carry the tone steadily, and gradually swell it. Hold the center placing and do not let the quality change from sombre to bright. Exercise 5. In full sustained tone use the syllable woe, singing each note of the scale. Exercise 6. Take breath on each note and sustain the tone down the scale. Descend a semitone on each syllable and begin the following word upon the succeeding note. Drop the jaw and open the throat well. Exercise 7. Sing the sentence upon each note of the scale, keeping the placing in the center of mouth. Exercise 8. Use for practice any selection that natur- ally demands thi.s quality of voice. An idea of the infin- ite variety of emotional eilects that can be produced by 142 NOTES. 143 144 NOTES. VOCAL EXERCISES KOK CENTER l'LACl.\<;. 145 the use of this one phiciiig, combined with different degrees of pitch and force, should here be given tlic pupil. It is not necessary by any graded set of exercises to teach the placing of the voice at the back of the mouth. Any pupil who has conquered the preceding exercises, if he has the necessary imitative and dramatic power, will find that he can conquer the, mere mechanics easily. Avoid the habitual use of this quality of voice, and when it is neces- sary in impersonations, or for the expression of any line of emotions particularly requiring it, seek to have it the out- come of the emotion itself . Try to imagine the situation so strongly that the right emotion is naturally induced and then let the voice express what is felt. There is less dan- ger of injuring the delicate muscles of the throat under stress of the emotion than when trying merely to simulate passion. An abnormal action of the muscles is called for by this placing; it is used to express such states and emotions as physical weakness or Aveariness, rage, lust, hate, anger and despair; it also is employed Avhen impersonating characters Avhieh are undeveloped or brutal. That which it expresses is bad, unwholesome and undesirable, and the reaction of its expression is necessarily the same. Xow the chief use of expression is its reaction upon development or growth, and the elocution of the past which has so persistently called for this particular form of expression has much to answer for. Too great emphasis has been laid upon that which is low and degrading in literature and not enough upon that Avhich is good and wholesome. Xewsboys' slang, engineers" and fire- mens' illiteracy, dialect pieces that are an insult to the nation- ality they misrepresent, pathetic selections of the "Polish Boy" and railway horror kind, vivid accounts of how Mr. Spoopendyke found a rat in his trousers, together with such unmeaning jingle, as "The Bells" and ''The l-i(3 (il>'l)Ki; OF EXERCISES. Haven," crowd books of selections, ''^prepared expressly for elocutionists/''' so the jireface informs the reader. In one of the most popular of these, containing four hundred selections, I lind represented: 1, 114 authors — good and indifferently good. 2. 1-4G authors — sensational and poor, o. 140 authors — anonymous. Out of the 114 pieces furnished by the first class forty- live were of what might be termed the sensational order, as a rule not the best but the poorest representations of the style of tlieir authors; many of them dialect pieces show- ing some h)w phase of life or liunian natitre, not selected for the purpose of conveying sweet and touching lessons to the lieart, but to throw ridicule upon some poor unfort- unate. Habit and endurance alone enable one to breathe freely in the rarefied atmosiihere of the great uplands of the physical world; and to breathe freely in the spiritual at- mosphere of Shakespeare, Emerson or Browning will not be made possible through a continued dwelling among the bogs, ferns and lowlands of tlie literary world. If personal magnetism and i^ower of expression are to be used wholly to inculcate a taste for the sensational and vicious in liter- ature, as Supt. llowland, of Chicago, in a recent address before the teachers of that city, plainly intimated, the teachers, or the world at large, have very little use for the elocutionist, and elocution no place in education. It is tlie taste for what is essentially good that is to be cul- tivated, for upon the thought depend the emotions, and upon the emotions the desires, and to engender and make habitual the right emotions is the important func- tion of the teacher. That is not in any sense humor- ous which leads one to become callous to the misfortunes of others, and pathos does not perform its proper office VOCAL EXERCISES FOR CENTER PLACING. 147 when it excites grief Avithout at the same time con- veying the germ of a great moral truth which is the seed for future consohition. True humor or fine delineation may be clothed in un- grammatical phraseology or expressed in an uncouth dia- lect, as is the case in ''Old 1'own Stories," "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," or " Old Creole Days," but their power lies, after all, in the author's ability to comprehend hidden springs of action deeply imbedded in the human soul, and his power to call them into action, that we may see with his eyes their good or their evil, their truth or their lies. A mirror that only distorts images is no true reflector of its surroundings, and the trash masquerading under the thin guise of misspelled words and ungrammatical phrases forming the stock-in-trade of too many teachers of this subject is misleading, wholly degrading to the art of elo- cution and a reproach to those who profess it. I ^/ ^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles iBijTx,^ This book is DUE on the last date stamped below URL JAN 1 7 n?^, Form L9-Series 4939 (^ MPiVWfW'iWh L 009 577 952 6 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 001 235 412 2 t 'Hi §p§. mWt ' ^r^' I ) i t •rK' HI , - ' -1.11 'H'fisH III 'iiPi , - . mWw I i fi > \ A\i.V,W<' I' ' * ^ • J ♦ 1 i t f* 'i il! i "1 M t 1 'ill