The General Class-Book, or Interesting Lessons in Prose and Verse; On a Great Variety of Subjects Combined with an Epitome of English Orthography and Pronunciation, and Intended as the Third Book in a Course of Reading for the Use of Schools (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1836. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Ohas seven different sounds; natural, as in go, contracted, as in do, broad, as in north, short, as in not, obtuse, as in wolf, long common, as in word, and short common, as in worry, or dove. The common sounds of o are the same with u in bur and burrow; the obtuse sound of o the same as the - in full andptrf; the broad sound, the same as a in it-till, and the short sound, the same as a in wullow. O in women is pronounced like i in will, and some vulgar persons pronounce cover in the same manner. In button, cotton, mutton, bacon, and some other words of the same kind, o is silent. U. V has six different sounds; the semi-consonant sound, as in unite, to join together, the diphthongal sound, as in cure, the long common, as in burst, the short common, as in bust, the contracted sound, as in brute, cruel, which is the same as o in move, and the obtuse sound, as in full, pull, or put, the same with o in wolf, or oo in foot. Beside these six sounds, u is pronounced like short t in busy and business, and like e in bury, and burial. The long common sound of t, o, and -, is often pronounced short, so as to make first appear like fust, worth like wuth, and burst like bust. This is very improper. U is silent before a in guard, e in guess, and guest, (a visiter, ) and in some other words. The termination ue after g or q is commonly silent, as in plague, vogue, (fashion, ) pique, burlesque, (ridicule, jest.) U, in the next syllable after the accent, is to be pro nuunced exactly as it is in its name, as in the follow ing words, oc-u-lar, (belonging to the eyes, ) as-sid-u ma, (careful, diligent, ) con-tig-u-ous, (joining, touch ing, ) vol-ume, (a book, ) pop-u-lar, (pleasing to most people, ) stat-ue, (an image.) This pronunciation of. - gives to d very near