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(Dh) and its correſpondent Mute (Th) are of that power which we commonly aſcribe to the Letters D, & T, aſpirated or incraſſated. And though theſe two Powers are commonly uſed by us without any proviſion for them by diſtinct Characters, yet our Anceſtors the Saxons had ſeveral Letters to expreſs them. They repreſented (Dh) by this mark (ð) as in Faðer, Moðer, ðe, ðat, ðen: And (Th) by this mark (þ) as þeif, þick, faiþ. And 'tis moſt evident that the ſounds of them (though we uſually confound them, under the ſame manner of writing) are in themſelves very diſtinguiſhable, as in theſe Examples.
Dh. |
Th. | ||
| Thee, this, there, thence, that, thoſe, though, thou, thy, thine. Father, Mother, Brother, Leather, Weather, Feather. Smooth, Seeth, Wreath, Bequeath. |
Think, thine, thigh, thing, thiſtle, theſis, thankes, thought, throng, thrive, thruſt. Doth, death, wrath, length, ſtrength, Loveth, Teacheth, &c. | ||
Theſe Letters are framed by a percolation of the Breath through a kind of Chink betwixt the tongue and upper teeth, the firſt with ſome kind of vocal ſound, the other wholly mute.
(Gh) and its Correſpondent (Ch) are both of them framed by a vibration of the root or middle of the tongue againſt the Palate, the former being vocal, and the other mute. They are each of them of difficult pronuntiation: The firſt is now uſed by the Iriſh, and was perhaps heretofore intended by the ſpelling of thoſe Engliſh words, Right, Light, Daughter, Enough, Thorough, &c. Though this kind of ſound be now by diſuſe loſt amongſt us, the latter of them (Ch) is now uſed amongſt the Welſh, and was perhaps heretofore intended by the Greek Letter (χ.) Neither of them is eaſily imitable by any mouth not trained up to the practiſe of them.
(L) is Clangor. 'Tis formed by an appulſe of the Tip of the tongue to the Palate, and then forcing out the Breath. 'Tis eſteemed facillima & liquidiſſima Literarum; in the pronouncing of which, moſt Nations do agree.
(Lh) or (hL) the correſpondent Mute to this, is much uſed by the Welch: They ſeem to form it as the other (L) only by abſtaining the voice, and a more forcible emiſſion of the Breath, as is uſed in all other mute letters of the Spiritous kind.
(R) is ſtridor vel ſuſurrus: 'Tis called from the ſnarling of Dogs, Litera Canina: 'Tis made by a quick trepidation of the tip of the tongue being vibrated againſt the palate; for which, they who are diſabled, by reaſon of the natural infirmity of their tongues, which is called τραυλισμὸς, Balbuties, do commonly pronounce in ſtead of it, the letter (L) which is of a more ſoft and eaſie ſound. Demoſthenes, Alcibiades, Ariſtotle, Scaliger, the Fathers, are ſaid to have laboured under this Infirmity.
(Rh) or (hR) the correſpondent mute to this, is made by a forcible emiſſion of the breath, through the inſtruments of Speech in the ſame poſition as for the Letter (R) but without any vocal ſound. 'Tis the ſame with the Greek (ῥ) and much in uſe amongſt the Welſh.