Zhāshāshā zhäshäshä zhazhazhą zhăshăshă, zhēshēshē zhěshěshě, zhishishi zhishishi, zhōshōshō zhooshooshoo zhōshosho, zhūshūshū zhushushů zhushushu, zhoushoushou, zhoishoishoi. Jāchāchā jächächä jachacha jăchacha, jecheche jěchèche, jichichi jichichi, jōchōchō joochoochoo jōchōchō, jüchūchū juchuchu jụchuchu, jouchouchou, joichoichoi. Хахаха хахаха хахаха хӑхӑхã, xìxêxē xěxӗxě, хіхіхі хіхіхі, xōxōxō xoox00x00 xoxoxo, xũxūxù xùxùxù xụxuxu̟, xouxouxou, xoixoixoi. Wawhawhā wäwhäwhä wawhawha wawhawhă, wēwhewhē wěwhewhě, wiwhiwhi wiwhiwhĩ, wōwhōwhō woowhoowhoo wowhowho, wũwhūwhū wuwhuwhu wuwhuwhy, wouwhouwhou, woiwhoiwhoi. This exercise is first performed with the accent upon the first or sub-vowel syllable of each word, taking great care, as in the preceding exercise, to give the vowel sound with perfect accuracy in the unaccented syllables, but very lightly in comparison with the accented one. Next, it is to be pronounced again with the accent upon the second or middle syllable; and finally with the third or last syllable accented, observing always the same caution as to the vast contrast in loudness between the accented and the unaccented syllables. However puerile these exercises may appear at first view, a little practice of them daily, performed with care and fidelity, will convince the most skeptical of their practical utility; and however tedious and wearisome this practice may seem to be, I am convinced by long use, and the result of many years' experience in training the voice, that the use of similar exer cises is indispensable to the acquirement of a perfectly correct pronunciation. It will be perceived that the last exercise was especially calculated to beget habits of care and correctness in the pronunciation of unaccented vowels. But it will be observed that in each group of syllables representing a word of three syllables, the vowel elements were identical. Hence the simplicity of the exercise; for, where the organs are once prepared for a certain vowel element, it is far easier to repeat the same element several times in the same word, than to change the effort and produce a new or different vowel sound in the same word. The word ădămănt has three syllables with precisely the same vowel element in each syllable; viz.: the fourth sound of a (ă). The word 'emănate' has three syllables, but a different vowel element in each; hence it is easier to give the former word with perfect correctness than the latter. But as the vowel sound is not always, nor usually, the same in the different syllables of words in our language, we need an exercise which shall involve the necessity of suddenly changing the shape of the mouth, to accommodate the different vowel sounds which may occur in our words. EXERCISE FOR CHANGE OF VOWEL SOUND. We may now make use of the first exercise upon syllables, that immediately following the Table of Elements; and use the syllables in groups of two and three, thus representing words of two and three syllables respectively, having a different vowel sound in each. In the first instance giving accent to the first syllable of each word; as, EXERCISE No. 7. Bābā babă, bēbě, bībì, bōboobě, būbŭbu̟, bou, boi. Vāvä vạvă, vẽvẽ, vĪvi, vāvoově, vũvăvụ, vou, voi. Thāthä thạthă, thethě, thithi, thāthootho, thuthuthu, thou, thoi. Zāzā zază, zēzě, zīzi, zōzooză, zūzūzų, zou, zoi. Zhazhä zhazha, zhēzhě, zhizhi, zhōzhoozho, zhuzhuzhụ, zhou, zhoi. Jājā jaja, jējě, jíjí, jōjoojõ, jūjūjų, jou, joi. Xãxả xạxă, xẽxè, xixì, xōxooxò, xūxùxụ, xou, xoi. Wawa wawa, wewe, wiwi, wōwoowo, wuwuwu, wou, woi. Lala lală, lēlē, līlī, lōloolo, lūlūlų, lou, loi. Rārā rară, rērē, rīri, rōroorò, rūrărụ, rou, roi. Mama mamă, mēmě, mīmi, mōmoomŏ, mūmămụ, mou, moi. Nana nană, nêně, nini, nōnoono, nununu, nou, noi. Yāya yayǎ, yēyè, yiyi, yōyooyo, yūyŭyu, you, yoi. Pāpā papă, pēpē, pīpi, pōpoopo, pūpăpu̟, pou, poi. Tată tată, tētě, tīti, tōtooto, tūtŭtų, tou, toi. Kākä kakǎ, kēkě, kiki, kōkookō, kūkŭkų, kou, koi. Fafä fafă, fèfè, fifi, fōfoofò, fūfùfụ, fou, foi. Thatha thatha, thēthě, thithi, thōthootho, thuthuthu, thou, thoi. Sasä sasa, sese, sisi, sōsooso, sususu, sou, soi. Shashä shashă, shēshě, shishi, shōshoosho, shūshūshụ, shou, shoi. Chāch; chạchă, chèchẽ, chichi, chochoocho, chūchăchụ, chou, choi. Xaxä xaxă, xẽxě, xixi, xoxooxo, xuxuxu, xou, xoi. Whāwhä whawha, whewhe, whiwhi, whōwhoowho, whūwhŭwhụ, whou, whoi. Hähä hahǎ, hehě, hihi, hōhooho, huhuhu, hou, hoi. This exercise is next to be repeated, giving the accent to the last syllable in each word. And I will repeat the caution to make a vast contrast in loudness between the accented and the light syllables, carefully preserving the correct vowel sounds in the latter. [NOTE. It may here be remarked for the information of those who merely examine this book, and have no knowledge of the experimental teaching of its rules, that, in a practical point of view, the necessity of such exercises must be admitted by all who would wish to excel. It would seem that, with the aid of the careful directions here given, and the oft repeated cautions as to intensity or loudness, contrast, correctness of vowel sounds, &c., any intelligent pupil might safely undertake to perfect himself without a master. I am confident that tasks involving far greater difficulties are daily accomplished by men of mediocre ability; and yet I am compelled to confess that nine pupils out of ten, make but a clumsy and awkward business during some days, and often weeks, of their practice on these exercises, even with the aid of a watchful and attentive guide. Is it necessary to add that, until they do perform them with skill and propriety, they can entertain no reasonable hope of making proficiency in the more advanced stages of elegant reading?] The following short list of words in common use, if carefully submitted to the test of extreme accuracy in the unaccented vowel sounds, will furnish a good and easy practice; and the contrast of this with the common hurried pronunciation of them, will exhibit the deformity of careless speech. |