A in the English language is ufed to reprefent two different
fimple founds, as in the word-Arabia, where the firft and'
laft have a different power from the fecond. In the Vocabulary
this letter mull always have the power, or be
pronounced like the firft and laft in Arabia. The other
power or found of the fecond a, is always reprefented in
the Vocabulary by a and i, printed in Italics thus, ai.
E has likewife two powers, or it is ufed to reprefent two
fimple founds, as in the words Eloquence, Bred, Led, Strand
it may be faid to have a third power, as in the words
Then, When, 8cc. In the firft cafe, this letter is only
ufed at the beginning of words, and wherever it is met
with in any other place in the words of the Vocabulary, it
is ufed as in the fecond cafe: but never as in the third
example ; for this power or found is every where expreffed
by the a and i before-mentioned, printed in Italics-
I is ufed to exprefs different fimple founds, as in the words
Indolence, Iron, and Imitation. In the Vocabulary it i3
never ufed as in the firft cafe, but in the middle of words ;,
it is never ufed as in the fecond example, for that found is
always reprefented' by y, nor is it ufed as in the laft cafe;
that found being always reprefented by two e’ s, printed in
Italics in this manner ee:
0 never alters in the pronunciation, i. e. in this Vocabulary,,
of a fimple found, but is often ufed in this manner, 00, and
founds as in Good, Stood, Scc-
V alters, or is ufed to exprefs different fimple founds, as in
Unity, or Umbrage. Here the letters e and u, printed in
Italics eu, are ufed to. exprefs its power as in the firft example,
and it always retains the fecond power, wherever
it.is met with.
3 F is
T is ufed to exprefs different founds, as in My, By, &c. &c.
and in Daily, Fairly, &c. Wherever it is met with in the
middle or end (i. e. any where but at the beginning) of a
word, it is to be ufed as in the firft example; but is never to
be found as in the fecond, for that found or power is always
reprefented by the Italic letter e. It has alfo a third power>
as in the words Yes, Yell, &c. which is retained every where
in the Vocabulary, at leaft at the beginning of words, or
when it goes before another vowel, unlefs directed to be
founded feparately by a mark over it, as thus, y a.
Unlefs in a few inftances, thefe powers of the vowels are
ufed throughout the Vocabulary; but, to make the pronunciation
ftill lefs liable to change or variation, a few marks
are added to the words as follows:
This mark .. as oa, means that thefe letters are to be ex-
prefled fingly. '
The letters in Italic, as ee or 00, make but one fimple found.
When a particular ftrefs is laid on any part of a word in the
pronunciation, an accent is placed over that letter where it
begins, or rather between that and the preceding one.
It often happens that a word is compounded as it were of
two, or in fome cafes the fame word or fyllable is repeated.
In thefe circumftances, a comma is placed under them at this
divifion, where a reft or fmall fpace o f time is left before you
proceed to pronounce the other part, but it muft not be imagined
that this is a full flop.
Vol. II. T t Examples