McGuffeys Fifth Eclectic Reader | Page 4

which is the natural
consequence of an effort to articulate correctly. Thus, in endeavoring to
sound correctly the a in met'ric-al, the pupil is very apt to say
met-ric-al'. accenting the last syllable instead of the first.
REMARK 2.--The teacher should bear it in mind that in correcting a
fault there is always danger of erring in the opposite extreme. Properly
speaking, there is no danger of learning to articulate too distinctly, but
there is danger of making the obscure sounds too prominent, and of
reading in a slow, measured, and unnatural manner.
RULE IV.--Utter distinctly the terminating subvocals and aspirates.
EXAMPLES.
Incorrect Correct Incorrect Correct --------- ------- --------- ------- An'
and Mos' mosque ban' band near-es' near-est moun' mound wep' wept
mor-nin' morn-ing ob-jec' ob-ject des' desk sub-jec sub-ject
REMARK 1.--This omission is still more likely to occur when several
consonants come together.
EXAMPLES.
Incorrect Correct Incorrect Correct --------- -------- --------- ----------
Thrus' thrusts Harms' harm'st beace beasts wrongs' wrong'st thinks'
thinkst twinkles' twinkl'dst weps' weptst black'ns black'n'dst
REMARK 2.--In all cases of this kind these sounds are omitted, in the
first instance, merely because they are difficult, and require care and
attention for their utterance, although after a while it becomes a habit.
The only remedy is to devote that care and attention which may be

necessary. There is no other difficulty, unless there should be a defect
in the organs of speech, which is not often the case.
RULE V.--A void blending syllables which belong to different words.
EXAMPLES.
INCORRECT. CORRECT. ---------- ------------ He ga-zdupon. He
gazed upon. Here res tsis sed. Here rests his head. Whattis sis sname?
What is his name? For ranninstantush. For an instant hush. Ther ris sa
calm, There is a calm. For tho stha tweep. For those that weep. God
sglorou simage. God's glorious image.
EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.
This exercise and similar ones will afford valuable aid in training the
organs to a distinct articulation.
Every vice fights against nature. Folly is never pleased with itself.
Pride, not nature, craves much. The little tattler tittered at the tempest.
Titus takes the petulant outcasts. The covetous partner is destitute of
fortune. No one of you knows where the shoe pinches. What can not be
cured must be endured. You can not catch old birds with chaff. Never
sport with the opinions of others. The lightnings flashed, the thunders
roared. His hand in mine was fondly clasped. They cultivated shrubs
and plants. He selected his texts with great care. His lips grow restless,
and his smile is curled half into scorn. Wisdom's ways are ways of
pleasantness. O breeze, that waftst me on my way! Thou boast'st of
what should be thy shame. Life's fitful fever over, he rests well. Canst
thou fill his skin with barbed irons? From star to star the living
lightnings flash. And glittering crowns of prostrate seraphim. That
morning, thou that slumber'd'st not before. Habitual evils change not on
a sudden. Thou waft'd'st the rickety skiffs over the cliffs. Thou reef'd'st
the haggled, shipwrecked sails. The honest shepherd's catarrh. The
heiress in her dishabille is humorous. The brave chevalier behaves like
a conservative. The luscious notion of champagne and precious sugar.
III. INFLECTIONS.

Inflections are slides of the voice upward or downward. Of these, there
are two: the rising inflection and the falling inflection.
The Rising Inflection is that in which the voice slides upward, and is
marked thus ('); as,
Did you walk'? Did you walk.
The Falling Inflection is that in which the voice slides downward, and
is marked thus ('); as,
I did not walk'. I did not walk.
Both inflections are exhibited in the following question:
Did you walk' or ride'? walk or ride.
In the following examples, the first member has the rising and the
second member the falling inflection:
EXAMPLES.[1]
Is he sick', or is he well'? Did you say valor', or value'? Did you say
statute', or statue'? Did he act properly', or improperly'?
[Footnote 1: These questions and similar ones, with their answers,
should be repeatedly pronounced with their proper inflection, until the
distinction between the rising and falling inflection is well understood
and easily made by the learner. He will be assisted in this by
emphasizing strongly the word which receives the inflection, thus. Did
you RIDE' or did you WALK'?]
In the following examples, the inflections are used in a contrary order,
the first member terminating with the falling and the second with the
rising inflection:
EXAMPLES.
He is well', not sick'. I said value', not valor'. I said statue', not statute'.

He acted properly', not improperly'.
FALLING INFLECTIONS.
Rule VI.--The falling inflection is generally proper wherever the sense
is complete.
EXAMPLES.
Truth is more wonderful than fiction'. Men generally die as they live'.
By industry we obtain wealth'.
REMARK.--Parts of