of various or disputed pronunciation, all the most eminent English orthoepists have been carefully examined; and though Walker has been regarded as of higher authority, as an orthoepist, than any other individual, yet, in some instances, the pronunciation of some of the others has been preferred to his. But teachers and others who are particularly attentive to pronunciation, will find it most satisfactory to have recourse to the authorities in relation to disputed or doubtful cases, as they will find them given in the "Comprehensive Dictionary.” This volume, in addition to the main vocabulary, or dictionary properly so called, contains the following additional vocabularies or divisions: 1st. A list of such Words and Phrases from Foreign Languages as are often found in English books. This is a class of words for the definition and pronunciation of which an English reader often wants assistance: 2d. A short list of Americanisms, or words which are reputed as peculiar to America, and English words which are used in America in à peculiar manner: — 3d. Remarks on Orthography, with a copious Vocabulary of Words of Doubtful or Various Orthography. These Remarks, together with the Vocabulary, embrace nearly or quite all the difficulties or doubtful cases that are often met with in English orthography; and the student will find it very useful to render himself familiar with them: 4th. Greek and Latin Proper Names, with the pronunciation according to Walker: 5th. Scripture Proper Names, with the pronunciation according to Walker, together with a list of such as are pronounced differently by other orthoepists: 6th. A Vocabulary of Geographical Names, with the pronunciation given according to the best authorities. CAMBRIDGE, May, 1835. But few remarks are deemed necessary in order to render the above Key, o system of notation, well understood. The words which are used as examples fo illustration, when pronounced by correct speakers, exhibit accurately the differ ent sounds of the several vowels. Some distinctions are here made, which are not found in other systems; bu they are not intended to introduce any new sounds, but merely to discriminate such as are now heard from all who speak the language with propriety. The peculiar sound of the letter a which is indicated by this mark (a), is nevei heard, except when it precedes the letter r, and is the sound which we daily hear in the words care, fair, pair, share, differing plainly from the long, slender sound of a in fate, pain, payer, player, slayer. The letter a, with this mark (á), has an intermediate sound between the short sound of a, as in fat, man, and the Italian a, as in far, father. The a in the words to which this sound is given in this Dictionary, is generally marked, by Perry, Jones, and some other orthoepists, as having the same sound as a in far, father; and by Walker, Jameson, and some others, as having the proper short sound of a, as in fat, man. The peculiar sounds of the letters e, i, u, and y, which are indicated when marked thus (ë, I, u, ÿ), occur only when these vowels are succeeded by r final, or by r followed by some other consonant, as in the words her, herd, sir, bird, cur, curd, myrrh. The sound is as short as these vowels, thus situated, readily or naturally receive; yet it differs from their proper short sound, ia met, merry, pin, mirror, hut, hurry, lyric, in a manner analogous to the difference between the sound of a and o in far and for, and the proper short sound of these vowels, as in fat, not. Vowels marked with the dot underneath. (thus, a, ẹ, i, o, u), are found only in syllables which are not accented, and over which the organs of speech pass slightly and hastily in pronouncing them This mark is employed rather to indicate a slight stress of voice, than to mark a particular quality of sound. If the syllables on which the primary and secondary accents fall, are uttered with a proper stress of voice, these comparatively indistinct syllables will naturally be pronounced right When the pronunciation is prefixed to the words in their proper orthography, without recourse to respelling, the vowels which are not marked, with the exception of y, are silent: thus a in beat, fear, e in āble, give, härden, i in päin, THE COMPREHENSIVE DICTIONARY. The Comprehensive Dictionary, from which the Elementary Dictionary has been mainly formed, has been introduced into many of the most respectable schools and seminaries in the country; and many high testimonials of its merits have been given, from which the following is selected : This [the Comprehensive] Dictionary exhibits, in its different parts, ample evidence of inquiry, careful comparison, and sound judgment. It combines, in a very condensed and yet intelligible form, a greater quantity of valuable matter than any other similar work; and as a Pronouncing Dictionary, it possesses decided advantages over all others, by its superior system of notation, and by its exhibition of all the principal authorities respecting words of doubtful or various pronunciation. We do not hesitate to pronounce it, in our judgment, the most comprehensive, accurate, and useful compendium within our knowledge. JOSEPH STORY, LL. D., Professor of Law, Cambridge, Mass. CH. ANTHON, LL. D., Prof. Gr. & Lat., Columbia Col., N. Y. |