THE ENGLISH GRAMMAR. CHAP. I. OF GRAMMAR, AND THE PARTS. Etymology, Syntax, RAMMARa is the art of true and wellspeaking a language: the writing is but an accident. The parts of Grammar are which is the true notation of words. the right ordering of them. A word is a part of speech, or note, whereby a thing is known, or called; and consisteth of one or more syllabes. A syllabe is a perfect sound in a word, and consisteth of one or more letters. A letter is an indivisible part of a syllabe, whose prosody, or right sounding is perceived by the power; the orthography, or right writing, by the form. 8 Prosody, and orthography, are not parts of grammar, but diffused like the blood and spirits through the whole. h Litera, à lineando; undè, linere, lineaturæ, litera, et litura. Neque enim à lituris literæ quia delerentur; priùs enim facta, quàm deleta sunt. At formæ potius, atque ovcías rationem, quàm interitûs, habeamus. Scal. ibid. iLitera genus quoddam est, cujus species primaria duæ vocalis et consonans, quarum natura, et constitutio non potest percipi, nisi priùs cognoscantur differentia formales, quibus factum est, ut inter se non convenirent. Scal. ibid. * Literæ differentia generica est potestas, quam nimis rudi consilio veteres Accidens appellârunt. Est enim forma quædam ipse flexus in voce, quasi in materia, propter quem flexum fit; ut vocalis per se possit pronunciari: Muta non possit. Figura autem est accidens ab arte institutum; potestque attributa mutari. Jul. Cæs. Scal. ibidem. De vi, ac potestate literarum tam accuratè scripserunt Antiqui, quàm de quâvis aliâ suæ professionis parte. Elaborârunt in hoc argumento Varro, Priscianus, Appion, ille, qui cymbalum dicebatur mundi: et inter rhetores non postremi judicii, Dionysius Halicarnassæus, Caius quoque Caesar, et Octavius Augustus. Smith. ibid. Litera, quæ per seipsas possint pronunciari, vocales sunt; quæ non, nisi cum aliis, consonantes. Vocalium nomina simplici sono, nec differente à potestate, proferantur. Consonantes, additis vocalibus, quibusdam præpositis, aliis postpositis. m Ex consonantibus, quorum nomen incipit à Consonante, Mutæ sunt; quarum à vocali, semi-vocales: Mutas non indè appellatas, quòd parum sonarent, sed quòd nihil. CHAP. II. OF LETTERS AND THEIR POWERS.h N our language we use these twenty and four letters, A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. V. W. X. Y. Z. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. 1. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. v. w. x. y. z. The great letters serve to begin sentences, with us, to lead proper names, and express numbers. The less make the fabric of speech. i All letters are either vowels or consonants; and are principally known by their powers. The figure is an accident. A vowel will be pronounced by itself: a consonant not without the help of a vowel, either before or after. The received vowels in our tongue are, a. e. i. o. u. m Consonants be either mutes, and close the sound, as b. c. d. g. k. p. q. t. Or half-vowels, and open it, as f. l. m. n. r. s. x. z. H. is rarely other than an aspiration in power, though a letter in form. W. and Y. have shifting and uncertain sounds as shall be shewn in their places. Omnes Vocales ancipites sunt; (i. e.) modò longa, modò breves: eodem tamen modo sempèr depictæ, (nam scriptura est imitatio sermonis, ut pictura corporis. Scriptio vocum pictura. Smithus) et eodem sono pronunciata. Nisi quòd vocalis longa bis tantum temporis in effando retinet, quàm brevis. Ut rectè cecinit ille de vocalibus. Temporis unius brevis est, ut longa duorum. A Literæ hujus sonus est omnium gentium ferè communis. Nomen autem, et figura multis nationibus est diversa. Scalig. et Ramus. Dionysius ait a esse, eiqwróтatov, ex plenitudine vocis. Teren. Maurus. A, prima locum littera sic ab ore, sumit, Nec partibus ullis aliquos ferire dentes. E Triplicem differentiam habet: primam, mediocris rictus: secundam, lingua, eamque duplicem; alteram, interioris, nempè inflexæ ad interius cœlum ELL CHAP. III. OF THE VOWELS. LL our vowels are sounded doubtfully. In quantity, (which is time) long or short. Or, in accent, (which is tune) sharp or flat. Long in these words, and their like: Debating, congeling, expiring, opposing, enduring. Short in these: Stomaching, sevěring, vanquishing, ransoming, picturing. Sharp in these: háte, méte, bíte, nóte, púle. A • With us, in most words, is pronounced less than the French à, as in art, act, apple, ancient. But when it comes before 4, in the end of a syllabe, it obtaineth the full French sound, and is uttered with the mouth and throat wide opened, the tongue bent back from the teeth, as in all, small, gall, fall, tall, call. So in the syllabes where a consonant followeth the , as in salt, malt, balm, calm. E Is pronounced with a mean opening the mouth, the tongue turned to the inner roof of the palate, and softly striking the upper great teeth. It is a letter of divers note and use; and either soundeth, or is silent. When it is the last letter, and soundeth, the sound is sharp, as in the French i. Example in mé, seé, agreé, yé, shé; in all, saving the article thè. |