Higher Lessons in English | Page 6

ways:--
1. Some of the letters are superfluous; c stands for the sound of s or of k, as in city and can; q has the sound of k, as in quit; and x that of ks, gz, or z, as in expel, exist, and Xenophon.
2. Combinations of letters sometimes represent single sounds; as, th in thine, th in thin, ng in sing, and sh in shut.
3. Some letters stand each for many sounds. Twenty-three letters represent over forty sounds. Every vowel does more than single duty; e stands for two sounds, as in mete and met; i for two, as in pine and pin; o for three, as in note, not, and move; u for four, as in tube, tub, full, and fur; a for six, as in fate, fat, far, fall, fast, and fare.
W is a vowel when it unites with a preceding vowel to represent a vowel sound, and y is a vowel when it has the sound of i, as in now, by, boy, newly. W and y are consonants at the beginning of a word or syllable.
The various sounds of the several vowels and even of the same vowel are caused by the different shapes which the mouth assumes. These changes in its cavity produce, also, the two sounds that unite in each of the compounds, ou, oi, ew, and in the alphabetic i and o.
1. 2. Vocal Consonants. Aspirates. b..................p d..................t g..................k -------------------h j..................ch l------------------ m------------------ n------------------ r------------------ th.................th (in thine) (in thin) v..................f w------------------ y------------------ z (in zone)......s z (in azure).....sh
The consonants in column 1 represent the sounds made by the obstructed voice; those in column 2, except h (which represents a mere forcible breathing), represent those made by the obstructed breath.
The letters are mostly in pairs. Now note that the tongue, teeth, lips, and palate are placed in the same relative position to make the sounds of both letters in any pair. The difference in the sounds of the letters of any pair is simply this: there is voice in the sounds of the letters in column 1, and only whisper in those of column 2. Give the sound of any letter in column 1, as b, g, v, and the last or vanishing part of it is the sound of the other letter of the pair.
TO THE TEACHER.--Write these letters on the board, as above, and drill the pupils on the sounds till they can see and make these distinctions. Drill them on the vowels also.
In closing this talk with you, we wish to emphasize one point brought before you. Here is a pencil, a real thing; we carry in memory a picture of the pencil, which we call an idea; and there are the two words naming this idea, the spoken and the written. Learn to distinguish clearly these four things.
TO THE TEACHER.--In reviewing these three Lessons, put particular emphasis on Lesson 2.
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LESSON 4.
ANALYSIS AND THE DIAGRAM.
TO THE TEACHER.--If the pupils have been through "Graded Lessons" or its equivalent, some of the following Lessons may be passed over rapidly.
+DEFINITION.--A Sentence is the expression of a thought in words+.
+Direction+.--Analyze the following sentences:--
+Model+.--Spiders spin. Why is this a sentence? Ans.--Because it expresses a thought. Of what is something thought? Ans.--Spiders. Which word tells what is thought? Ans.--Spin. [Footnote: The word spiders, standing in Roman, names our idea of the real thing; spin, used merely as a word, is in Italics. This use of Italics the teacher and the pupil will please note here and elsewhere.]
1. Tides ebb. 2. Liquids flow. 3. Steam expands. 4. Carbon burns. 5. Iron melts. 6. Powder explodes. 7. Leaves tremble. 8. Worms crawl. 9. Hares leap.
In each of these sentences there are, as you have learned, two parts--the +Subject+ and the +Predicate+.
+DEFINITION.--The Subject of a sentence names that of which something is thought.+
+DEFINITION.--The Predicate of a sentence tells what is thought.+
+DEFINITION.--The Analysis of a sentence is the separation of it into its parts.+
+Direction+.--Analyze these sentences:--
+Model+.--Beavers build. This is a sentence because it expresses a thought. Beavers is the subject because it names that of which something is thought; build is the predicate because it tells what is thought. [Footnote: When pupils are familiar with the definitions, let the form of analysis be varied. The reasons may be made more specific. Here and elsewhere avoid mechanical repetition.]
1. Squirrels climb. 2. Blood circulates. 3. Muscles tire. 4. Heralds proclaim. 5. Apes chatter. 6. Branches wave. 7. Corn ripens. 8. Birds twitter. 9. Hearts throb.
+Explanation+.--Draw a heavy line and divide it into two parts. Let the first part represent the subject of a sentence; the second, the predicate.
If you write a word over the first part, you will understand that this word is the subject of a sentence. If you write a word over the second part,