"It is a démonstrátion of the Copernican system." Here, as no accented word precedes demonstration, the voice finds a res, and the ear a force, in placing an accent on the first, as well as on the third syllable. 526 But though we may, or may not, use the secondary accent at pleasure, it is by no means a matter of indifference on what syllable we place it: this is fixed with as much certainty as the place of the principal accent itself; and a wrong position of one would as much derange the sound of the word, as a wrong position of the other: and it must be carefully noted, that though we lay no stress upon the syllable which may have the secondary accent, the consonants and vowels have exactly the same sound as if the doubtful syllable (as it may be called) were accented. Thus, though I lay no stress upon the second syllable of negociation, pronunciation, ecclesiastick, &c. the c and s go into the sound of sh and zh, as if the secondary accent were on the preceding syllable. (357) (451) (459.) 527. It may be observed, in the first place, that the secondary accent is always two syllables, at least, distant from the principal accent: thus in demonstration, lamentation, provocation, &c. the secondary accent is on the first syllable, and the principal on the third; and in arteriotomy, meteorology, and hypochondriacal, the secondary accent is on the first, and the principal on the fourth syllable: and in the word indivisibility we may place two secondary accents, one upon the first, and the other on the third. 528. In the next place it may be observed, that though the syllable on which the principal accent is placed, is fixed and certain, yet we may, and do frequently make the secondary principal, and the rincipal secondary: thus caravan, complaisant, violin, repartee, referee, privateer, domineer, courtezan, artizan, charlatan, may all have the greatest stress on the first, and the least on the last syllable, without any violent offence to the ear: nay, it may be asserted, that the principal accent on the first syllable of these words, and none at all on the last, though certainly improper, has nothing in it grating or discordant; but placing an accent on the second svllable of these words would entirely derange them, and produce an intolerable harshness and dissonance. The same observations may be applied to demonstration, lamentation, provocation, navigator, propagator, alligator, and every similar word in the language. But, as we have observed, No. 526, the consonants, t, d, c, and s, after the secondary accent, are exactly under the same predicament as after the primary; that is, if they are followed by a diphthong or diphthongal vowel, these consonants are pronounced like sh, tsh, zh, or j, as sententiesity, partiality, &c. (526.) QUANTITY. 529 In treating this part of pronunciation, it will not be necessary to enter into the nature of that quantity which constitutes poetry; the quantity here considered will be that which relates to words taken singly; and this is nothing more than the length or shortness of the vowels, either as they stand alone, or as they are differently combined with the vowels or consonants. (63.)' 530. Quantity, in this point of view, has already been fully considered under every vowel and diphthong in the language. What remains to be said on this subject is, the quantity of vowels under the scondary accent. We have seen that vowels, under the principal accent, before the diphthongs ia, ie, eou, ion, are all long, except i. (507.) That all vowels are long before the terminations ity and ely, as deity, piety, &c. (511;) that if one or more consonants precede these terminations, every preceding accented vowel, except the a in scarcity and rarity, signifying uncommonness, is short but u: and that the same analogy of quantity is found before the terminations ick and ical, and the numerous enclitical terminations we have just been pointing out. Here we find custom conformable to analogy. and that the rules for the accent and quantity of these words admit of scarcely any exceptions. In other parts of the language, where custom is more capricious, we can still discover general rules; and there are but very few words in which the quantity of the vowel under the principal accent is not ascertained. Those who have but a common share of education, and are conversant with the pronunciation of the capital, are seldom at a loss for the quantity of the vowel under that accent which may be called principal; but the secondary accent in the longer polysyllables does not seen to decide the quantity of the vowels so invariably. Mr. Sheridan divides the words deglutition, depravation, degradation, dereliction, and democratical, into de-glu-ti-tion, de-pra-va-tion, de-gra-da-tion, de-re-lic-tion, and de-mo-crat-i-cal ; while Dr. Kenrick more accurately divides them in deg-lu-ti-tion, dep-ra-va-lion, deg-ra-da-tion, and den-o-crat-i-cal ; but makes not any distinction between the first o in profanation and profane, prodigality and prodigious, prorogation and prorogue, though he distinguishes this letter in the first syllable of progress, and that in progression: and though Mr. Sheridan divides retrograde into rel-ro-grade, he divides retrogradation, retrogression, retrospect, retrospection, and retrospective, into retro-gra-da-tion, re-tro-gres-sion, re-tro-spect, re-tro-spec-tion, and re-tro-spec-tive. At the first sight of these words we are tempted to prefer the preposition in a distinct syllable, as supposing that mode to convey more distinctly each part of the word; but custom at large, the best interpreter of nature, soon lets us see that these prepositions coalesce with the word they are prefixed to, for reasons greatly superiour to those which present themselves at first. (514.) If we observe the ten dency of pronunciation, with respect to inseparable prepositions, we shall find, that those compound words which we adopt whole from other languages, we consider as simples, and pronounce them without any respect to their component parts; but those compounds which we form ourselves retain the traces of their formation, in the distinction which is observable between the prepositive and radical part of the word: thus retrograde, retrogression, retrospect, and retrospective, coming compounded to us from the Latin, ought, when the accent is on the preposition, to shorten the vow el, and unite it to the root, as in res-ur-rec-tion, rec-vi-lec-tim, prep-o-si-tion, &c.; while re-commil, reconvey, &c. being compounds of our own, must preserve it separate. 531. From what has been observed, arises this general rule: where the compound retains the pri mary sense of the simples, and the parts of the word are the same in every respect, both in and out of composition, then the preposition is pronounced in a distinct syllable; but when the compound departs ever so little from the literal sense of the simples, the same departure is observable in the pronunciation; hence the different syllabication and pronunciation of re-com-mence and rec-om-menet the former signifies a repetiton of a commencement, but the latter does not imply a repetition of commendation: thus re-petition would signify to petition again; while repetition signifies only an iteration of the same act, be it what it will. The same may be observed of the words re-create, and rec-reate, re-formation and ref-ormation. 532. That this is perfectly agreeable to the nature of the language, appears from the short pronunciation of the vowel in the syllable of preface. prelate, prelude. prologue. &c. as if divided Into preface, pril-ate, prel-ude, prol-ogue, &c. It is much to be regretted, however, that this short sound of the penultimate vowel has so much obtained in our language, which abounds too much in these sounds; nor can etymology be always pleaded for this pronunciation; for in the foregoing words, the first vowel is long in the Latin praefatio, prælatus, præludium, though short in prologus. for though in words from the Greek the preposition was short, in Latin it was generally long; and why we should shorten it in progress, project, &c. where it is long in Latin, can only be acyounted for by the superficial application of a general rule, to the prejudice of the sound of our language. (513.) 3. It will be necessary, however, to observe, that in forming a judgment of the propriety of mese observations, the nicest care must be taken not to confound those prepositions which are un. der the primary and secondary accent, with those which immediately precede the stress; for pre, pretend, &c. are under a very different predicament from prologue, preposition, &c.; and the very same law that obliges us to pronounce the vowel short in the first syllable of prov-i-dence, --cation, and prof-a-nation, obliges us to pronounce the vowel open, and with some degree of length in pro-cide, pro-oke, and pro-fane. The same may be observed of the e in re-pair and rep-aron, re-ply and rep-li-cation, re-peat and rep-e-tition, the accent making the whole difference between the quantity of the vowel in one word and the other. 534. The only exception to the shortening power of the secondary accent is the same as that which prevents the shortening power of the primary accent, (503,) namely, the vowel u as in lucubration, or when any other of the vowels are succeeded by a semi-consonant diphthong, (196:) thus dar and mediatorial have the e in the first syllable as long as in mediate: deviation has the e in the first syllable as long as in deviate, notwithstanding the secondary accent is on it, and which would infallibly have shortened it, if it had not been for the succeeding diphthong ia; and even this diph thong in gladiator has not the power of preserving the first syllable long, though Mr. Sheridan-bybas marking it, has made it so." 535. From what has been seen of accent and quantity, it is easy to perceive how prone our lan guage is to an antepenultimate accent, and how naturally this accent shortens the vowel it falls upsaay, so great a propensity have vowels to shrink under this accent, that the diphthong itself, in me words, and analogy in others, are not sufficient to prevent it, as valiant, retaliate. Thus, by the rabjaining only of al to nation, with the a long, it becomes national, with the a short, though contrary tata relation with occasion and congregation, which do not shorten the a upon being made occasional and gregational: in like manner the acquisition of the same termination to the word nature, makes it r; but this, it may be presumed, is derived from the Latin naturalis, and not from adding al to the English word, as in the foregoing instances; and thus it comes under the shortening power of the antepenultimate accent, notwithstanding the semi-consonant diphthong u. The same shortening power in the antepenultimate accent may be observed in rational and , where the first & in the first word, and the o in the second, are short. The first a in the second word is short also by the power of the secondary accent; though Mr. Sheridan has, in my opinion, very erroneously divided ratiocination into ra-sho-sy-na-shun; that is, into a syllable less than aught to have, with the o long instead of short. 537. The accent on the Latin antepenultimate seemed to have something of a similar tendency; for though the great difference in the nature of the Latin and English accent will allow us to ar gue from one to the other, but in very few circumstances, (503,) yet we may perceive in that accent, so different from ours in general, a great coincidence in this particular; namely, its tendency to aborten an antepenultimate syllable. Bishop Hare tells us, that "Quæ acuuntur in tertia ab ex *trema, interdum acuta corripiunt, si positione sola longa sunt, ut optime, sérvitus, pérvelim, Pámphi Las, et panca alia, quo Cretici mutantur, in Anapestos. Idem factum est in neutiquam, licet inci "pat diphthongo." De Metr. Comick, pag. 62. Those words which have the acute accent on the an penultimate syllable, have sometimes that syllable shortened, if it was only long by position, as uptuma, sérostus, pérvelim, Pamphilus, and a few others, which by this means are changed from Cretick to Anapestick feet; nay, neutiquam undergoes the same fate, though it begins with a diphthong. SYLLABICATION. 13. Dividing words into syllables is a very different operation, according to the different ends proposed by it.” The object of syllabication may be, either to enable children to discover the sound of words they are unacquainted with, or to show the etymology of a word, or to exhibit the exact pronunciation of it. 52 When a child has made certain advances in reading, but is ignorant of the sound of many of the longer words, it may not be improper to lay down the common general rule to him, that a consonant between two vowels must go to the latter, and that two consonants coming together must divided Farther than this, it would be absurd to go with a child; for telling him that compounds at be divided into their simples, and that such consonants as may begin a word may begin a syllable, requires a previous knowledge of words, which children cannot be supposed to have; and barn, if they have, makes the division of words into syllables unnecessary. Children, therefore, may be very usefully taught the general rule abovementioned, as, in many cases, it will lead them to the exact sound of the word, as in pro-vi-ded: and in others, it will enable them to give a good parat at it, as ma de-a-cute; and this is all that can be expected, for when we are to form au unwn compound sound, out of several known simple sounds; (which is the case with children, when we wish them to find out the sound of a word by spelling it;) this, I say, is the only method that can betaken. 5 But an etymological division of words is a different operation; it is the division of a person aunted with the whole word, and who wishes to convey by this division, a knowledge of its conRent parts, as artho-grophy, theo-logy, &c. In the same manner, a person, who is pre-acquainted with the whole compound sound of a ward, and wants to convey the sound of each part to one unacquainted with it, must divide it into sach partial sounds as, when put together again, will exactly form the whole, as or-thog-ra-phy, be degy, buc. This is the method adopted by those who would convey the whole sound, by giving Catacly every part, and, when this is the object of syllabication, Dr. Lowth's rule is certainly to be flowne & The best and easiest rule," says the learned bishop, "for dividing the syllables in *ping is, to divide them as they are naturally divided in a right pronunciation, without regard to the dermation of words, or the possible combination of consonants, at the beginning of a syllable. E-g. Grum pag. 7. 542. In this view of syllabication we consider it only as the picture of actual pronunciation; bus may we not consider it as directed likewise by some laws of its own? Laws, which arise out of the very nature of enunciation, and the specifick qualities of the letters? These laws certainly direct us to separate double consonants, and such as are uncombinable from the incoalescence of their sounds: and if such a separation will not paint the true sound of the word, we may be certain that such sound is unnatural, and has arisen from caprice; thus the words Chamber, Cambridge, and Cambrick, must be divided at the letter m, and as this letter, by terminating the syllable according to the settled rules of pronunciation, shortens the vowel-the general pronunciation given to these words must be absurd, and contrary to the first principles of the language. Angel, ancient, danger, manger, and ranger, are under the same predicament; but the paucity of words of this kind, so far from weakening the general rule, strengthen it. See CHANGE. 543. By an induction which demonstrates the shortening power of the antepenultimate accent, has been shown the propriety of uniting the consonant to the vowel in the first syllable of demonstration, lamentation, propagation, &c. we thus decide upon the quantity of these vowels, which are so uncertain in our best dictionaries; and may we not hope, by a similar induction, and with the first principles of language in view, to decide the true, genuine, and analogical sound of some words of another kind which waver between different pronunciations? The antepenultimate accent has unquestionably a shortening power; and I have not the smallest doubt that the penultimate accent has a lengthening power: that is, if our own words, and words borrowed from other languages of two syllables, with but one consonant in the middle, had been left to the general ear, the accent on the first syllable would have infallibly lengthened the first vowel. A strong presumption of this arises from our pronunciation of all Latin dissyllables in this manner, without any regard to the quantity of the original, (see DRAMA,) and the ancient practice of doubling the consonant when preceded by a single vowel in the participial terminations, as to begin, beginning, to regret, regretted: and I believe it may be confidently affirmed, that words of two syllables from the Latin, with but one consonant in the middle, would always have had the first vowel long, if a pedantick imitation of Latin quantity had not prevented it. (See DRAMA.) Let an Englishman, with only an English education, be put to pronounce zephyr, and he will without hesitation, pronounce the e long, as in zenith: if you tell him the e is pronounced short in the Latin zephyrus, which makes it short in En glish, and he should happen to ask you the Latin quantity of the first syllable of comick, mimick, solace, &c. your answer would be a contradiction to your rule.-What irrefragably proves this to be the genuine analogy of English quantity, is the different quantity we give a Latin word of two syllables when in the nominative, and when in an oblique case; thus in the first syllable of sidus and nomen, which ought to be long; and of miser and onus which ought to be short, we equally use the common long sound of the vowels; but in the oblique cases, sideris, nominis, miseri, oneris, &c. we use quite another sound, and that a short one: and this analogy runs through the whole English pronunciation of the learned languages. (533) (535.) 544. But the small dependence of the English quantity on that of the Latin will be best seen by a selection of words of two syllables, with the accent on the first, and but one consonant in the middle, and comparing them with the Latin words from which they are derived. English dissyllables which have but one consonant, or a mute and liquid in the middle, and have the first sylla ble accented, contrasted with the Latin words from which they are derived, marked with their respective quantities. It is highly probable that in Ben Jonson's time, the a In this word was pronounced as in mm, since be classos it to show the short sound of a with art, act, and apple.-Grammar. |