Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER V.

THE POSTURES OF THE MOUTH.

AN accurate knowledge of the positions which the organs of articulation should assume in the formation of the several elements of vocal language, is very important to those who would speak with ease and elegance. To aid the reader still further in the acquisition of this knowledge, he is furnished with the various postures of the mouth, required in uttering the elements energetically, and singly.

The elements are grouped according to the posture in which the mouth should be when they are formed. It will be seen that the Diphthongs and Triphthongs have each two postures of the mouth- -one at the commencement, the other at the termination of the sound.

These postures are, of course, more or less modified, when the elements are uttered in their various combinations, and with different degrees of force.

The pupil should exercise his organs of speech, in the most forcible manner, three times a week, and, if possible, even every day, on all the elements. The vowels should be exploded from the throat, both interrogatively and affirmatively, in every range of pitch within the compass of the voice, and with every possible degree of force.

The vowels are exploded in the following manner: make a full inspiration, close the glottis, and contract the muscles of expiration so as to condense the air in the lungs, then utter the element with a sudden and forcible emission of the breath. The sounds thus produced may be denominated vocal thunder; the effect upon an audience is electrical.

This exercise strengthens the vocal organs, and enables the speaker to be heard at a great distance, with very little effort, or expenditure of breath. It is also beneficial to health.

[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][merged small]
[graphic][graphic][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small]

CHAPTER VI.

DEFECTIVE ARTICULATION.

ARTICULATION is defective when one or more ele ments of a word are omitted, or imperfectly formed; or when one element is substituted for another.

Defective articulation is exceedingly common: perhaps there is not one individual in ten thousand whose articulation is perfect. This arises from the neglect of a proper gymnastic training of the organs of speech in childhood. As soon as children are capable of imitating sounds, they should be taught the elements of vocal language; and, to facilitate their acquisition of this knowledge, they should be made to exercise before a mirror, so as to compare the movements of their own lips with those of the lips of their instructor. By pursuing this course, a good foundation will be laid for a perfect and graceful articulation.

In that part of this work which consists of EXERCISES IN READING AND DECLAMATION, all, or nearly all, the letters representing sounds liable to be omitted, or imperfectly articulated, are italicised. Hence it is not necessary to furnish examples, and treat of the subject minutely, in this place. There are, however, some instances of defective articulation, which are not pointed out by the italic letters - these are so important that they deserve special notice. I allude to those cases in which one element is substituted for another. The remainder of this chapter will be devoted to their consideration.

Children are apt to substitute the sound of d for that of g in gay; and the sound of t for that of k, or c in cat. Thus, for gay, they say day; for cake, tate, &c.

To enable the pupil to correct these faults, I explain to him the manner in which the sounds of g and k are

produced they are formed by pressing the root of
the tongue against the soft palate, and not, like d and
t by pressing its tip against the gums of the upper
incisors. I then direct him to pronounce,
after me, the
elements, d, g, and t, k, and the syllables da, ga, and
ta, ka, thus:

d, g; d, g; d, g; d, g; d, g; d, g; d, g; d, g; d, g.
t, k; t, k; t, k; t, k; t, k; t, k; t, k; t, k; t, k.
dả, gà; dẫ, gả; dả, gả; dã, gâ; dè, gẻ; dẻ, gẻ; &c.
tả, hả; tả, hả; tả, bả; tây kê; tẻ, kẻ; tẻ, kẻ; &c.

The object of this exercise is to contrast the substituted sound with the correct one.

When this plan does not prove successful, I open my mouth as widely as possible, so that the tip of the tongue cannot touch the gums of the upper teeth, and request the pupil to open his in like manner. I then direct him to pronounce, after me, the following syllables:

gà, gà, gà, gà ; gẻ, gẻ; gì, g1; gỗ, gỗ, gỗ; gủ, gỗ, gủ; gou. kà, kả, bả, hả; kẻ, kẻ; kỉ, kỉ; kỏ, kỏ, kỏ; kủ, kủ, kủ; kou. åg, ég, ig, dg, úg, oug; âk, èk, ik, ỏk, åk, ouk.

When neither of these schemes proves successful, I request the pupil to press his tongue downwards, and backwards, with his index finger, while I do the same, and pronounce, after me, the syllables in the preceding exercise. This I have never known to fail.

Some children omit the element 2, when it follows d, and the element sh when it follows t; for instance, they pronounce John, don, and Charles, tarles, &c.* My method of correcting these defects is to contrast the false pronunciation with the true one, as in the following exercise:

dả, dźả; dả, dźả; dà, dźả; dã, dźả; dè, diễ; &c.
tả, tshả; tả, tshả; tả, tshả; tả, tsh&; tẻ, tshè; &c.

J is a compound of d and z in azure; and ch is equivalent to

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »