has endeavored to point out all the usual errors of pronunciation. A judicious use of these Cautions can not fail to be of great service. The arrangement adopted is such that the pupil is in each instance directed to a general principle, while the page is not disfigured by marks referring to the Cautions. The exercises scattered through the volume, under the title Vocal Gymnastics, merit the attention of the teacher. CAUTIONS IN REGARD TO ARTICULATION AND PRONUNCIATION. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.-The object of these CAUTIONS is to correct certain prevalent faults of articulation, pronunciation, and accent. The pupil should be made thoroughly acquainted with the list, and, when requisite, the CAUTIONS may be further explained and illustrated by the teacher. In all cases in which a pupil in class commits one of these faults he should be made to refer to the appropriate CAUTION. Thus: - Teacher. John, it is your turn to read. Begin.-John [stands up and begins to read]. "The hoss is a noble animal. HeTeacher. Stop! what is a noble animal, do you say?—John. The hoss, sir. It is so in the book. Teacher. Spell horse, John.-John [spells]. H-o-r-s-e, hoss.-Teacher. You commit a great fault in pronouncing that word—John. What fault, if you please, sir? - Teacher. I wish you to discover it yourself. Turn to CAUTION 9, and repeat it.John [turning to page 10, reads]. "Do not suppress the sound of r, &c."-Teacher. Well, is there an r in horse?—John. Yes, sir. H-o-r-s-e.-Teacher. And do you now know what your fault was ?-John. I suppose, sir, I did not sound the r.— Teacher. That was the case. You said "hoss," not [very slowly and distinctly] horse. Now try again.-John [reads]. "The horse, &c., &c."-Teacher. That is better. Numerous Lessons will be found in this Fifth Reader, under the title of " VOCAL GYMNASTICS," consisting of sentences constructed expressly with reference to these Cautions. See Lesson xxiv, page 52. In the aggregate, they form a thorough and systematic body of practical exercises, designed, 1st. To call the attention of the learner to the errors he is most likely to commit, and, 2ndly. To enable him, by repetition and careful attention to one point at a time, to correct bad habits and establish good habits. These "VOCAL GYMNASTICS" are earnestly commended to the notice of the teacher. 1 THE Vowels, a, e, i, and o, in unaccented syllables should have their proper sound, and not the sound of u. Thus, sys-tem, not sys-tum, ap-prove, not up-prove. This fault most frequently occurs in the following syllables and terminations: a. Terminations in al, an, ant, acy, able, ar, ard, ance, ancy, a-tive, in which a should have the obscure sound of a in at. Thus, fa'-tal, not fa'-tul; hu'man. not hu'-mun; ad'a-mant, not ad'u-munt; par-tic'u-lar, not pur-tic'u-lur; standard, not stand'urd; ar'ro-gant, not ar'ro-gunt, &c. It will require much practice and a nice ear tc acquire a correct and unexaggerated articulation in such cases. b. Terminations in ed, el, et, en, ent, ence, ency, est, ety, in which e should have the obscure sound of e in met. Thus pru'dent, not pru'dunt; so-bri'e-ty, not so-bri'u-ty; pi'e-ty, not pi-ut-ty; chil'dren, not chil-drin. ww |
