9. The sound of l, as in lull, is formed by placing the tip of the tongue against the front roof of the mouth, and emitting vocal sound over the sides of the tongue. Palatals. Those sounds whose peculiar characteristic is caused by the position or action of the palate are called palatals. They are ng, g, k, c, or sh, z, h, y, with the consonant triphthongs ch and j.* 1. The sound of ng as in sing, or n in ink, is formed by raising the base of the tongue against the palate, so as to close the vocal tube at that point, and emitting vocal sound through the nose with the lips open. 2. The sound of g, as in go, is produced by closing the vocal tube at the palate and nasal passages (thus confining the vocal sound in the throat), and suddenly expelling the. breath by way of the mouth. 3. The sound of k, as in kite, is formed by closing the vocal tube at the palate and nasal passages, and forcing out a puff of unvocalized breath. 4. The sound of sh as in shall, or c as in ocean, is formed by bringing the sides of the tongue in contact with the roof of the mouth, and sending a breath-sound through the opening thus formed. It is a sound midway between s and y. (See WEBSTER'S Principles of Pronunciation.) 5. The sound of z (zh), as in azure, differs from sh only in being vocal. 6. The sound of h,t as in hat, is an emission of unvocalized breath, through whatever position of the mouth-organs the succeeding element requires, the organs being always placed to form the next succeeding letter before the h is produced. 7. The subtonic sound of y, as in yes, is a sound approximating the vowel e, the sound of y being less pure in vocality because of a greater obstruction of the vocal tube. The tongue is closer to the roof of the mouth in producing y than in producing e. * Ch and j are triphthongs (see Tables Nos. 3 and 6). † H is not included with labials or linguals, and has been placed among the palatals. is mon otone Diaton ic Semi tonie The natural key, as in ordinary conversation. (A. A third C. An octave SA. Absolute (in } below the middle key. {B. Apparent (in elocution)} marked (— — —). C. Rules for A. Inflection B. Degrees A. Kinds B. Transition or modulation a. Simple........ b. Comp. or wave a. A third a. Single b. Double } (Rising (!). (Rising (~). JRising {Falling(): Ja. Emphatic (1). b. Not emphatic ('). Ja. Direct (/). b. Indirect (`). Ja. Single (V) (!`). b. Double (77N)." Ja. Suspension ('). b. Addition (`). Ja. Commencing (!!). b. Concluding (\). Ja. Commencing (```'). (Partial (for complete sense). РІТСН. PITCH is the degree of elevation of the voice, or its posi tion upon the diatonic scale. A scale is a series of sounds arranged in continuous ascent or descent, by measured intervals from any pitch or key-note. It is diatonic or semitonic. The former ascends or descends mostly by whole tone intervals, two half tones occurring once only in every seven. The semitonic or chromatic scale* ascends and descends altogether by half-tone intervals.† An interval is the distance between any two points of the scale. A note is a sound at any given point in the scale. Key-note is the first note. A key is said to be high, middle, or low, according as it is above, on, or below the natural or ordinary elevation. A high key is any key above the middle or natural voice, and is used in calling, shouting, commanding, etc. A middle key is the one used in common conversation, and, owing either to the structure of the vocal organs or to habit, it varies with different people. It is used in narrative or unimpassioned language. A low key is any key below the middle or natural voice, and is used in expressing revenge, solemnity, etc. The high and low keys are more commonly heard at a third, a fifth, or an octave above or below the middle key. When the voice slides from one note of the scale to another, higher or lower, the distance is called a concrete interval; when the voice steps from one note to another more re "The name chromatic is derived from the fact that the intermediate tones were formerly written and printed in colors."-WEBSTER. The diatonic scale is represented by the successive white keys of a piano; the semitonic by the white and black keys successively. mote without a continuous sound, the interval is called discrete. Hence the interval between the first and second notes of a scale may be either a discrete or a concrete interval of a tone. The distance from the first note to the third of a scale is called a discrete or a concrete interval of a third, and the difference between the first and fifth is called a discrete or a concrete interval of a fifth, etc. HIGH KEYS. A third above is a key three notes above the middle key, and is used to make a number of people hear at the same time. A fifth above is a key five notes above the middle key, and is used in lively and humorous delivery. An octave, or eighth above, is a key eight notes above the middle key, and is used in spirited declamation. LOW KEYS. A third below is a key three notes below the middle key, and is used in expressing dignified sentiment. A fifth below is a key five notes below the middle key, and is used in giving utterance to solemn and impressive thought. An octave, or eighth below, is a key eight notes below the middle key, and is used in language of deep solemnity. MONOTONE. In elocution, monotone is voice seemingly unvaried in pitch. It expresses awe, reverence, solemnity, sublimity, grandeur, majesty, power, splendor, amazement, all vastness and force, and all preternatural emotions. It is also used in legal and statistical statements, where emotion is unnecessary. In music, monotone is absolute or uniform sameness of sound. VARIATIONS OF PITCH. A change or variation of pitch on a single note or syllable is inflection; on successive notes or syllables it is melody. MELODY. Melody is a pleasing succession of sounds in varied pitch. In reading or speaking, melody consists principally of inflections and transitions of pitch, or modulation.* Melody is diatonic or semitonic, the former being the progression of pitch through the interval of a whole tone, the latter through that of a half tone or semitone. Diatonic melody is used in narration, or to express simple thought; semitonic to express supplication, entreaty, etc. Examples of Diatonic Melody. "The cynic is one who never sees a good quality in a man, and never fails to see a bad one. He is the human owl, vigilant in darkness and blind to light, mousing for vermin, and never seeing noble game. The cynic puts all human actions into only two classes, openly bad and secretly bad. He holds that no man does a good thing except for profit. It is impossible to indulge in such habitual severity of opinion upon our fellow-men without injuring the tenderness and delicacy of our own feelings. A man will be what his most cherished feelings are. If he encourages a noble generosity, every feeling will be enriched by it; if he nurse bitter and envenomed thoughts, his own spirit will absorb the poison, and he will crawl among men a burnished adder, whose life is mischief, and whose errand is death."-BEECH ER. Examples of Semitonic Melody. "Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door." THOMAS Moss. "The poor man alone, when he hears the poor moan, Of his morsel a morsel will give. THOMAS HOLCROFT. * Melody differs from harmony in that the latter is a pleasing union of melodies, while the former is a succession of sounds constituting one melody. |