Words ending in on, as Mutton, Crimfon, Bacon.

8Q Doth u ever quite lofe its Sound? A. A fingle is always pronounced; but 'tis often loft when another. Vowel follows it after g, as Guard, guilty, Tongue, Plague; yet not al ways, as Anguish, Languish.

9 Q. Doth not a lofe its Sound after q?

A. q is never written without a; and there are fome Words wherein the u is quite filent, as conquer, Musquet, Liquor, Masquerade; and all Words borrow'd from other Languages that end in que, as barque, rifque, burlefque, oblique

,,,,,

A CHA P. VII.

Of the Sound of Diphthongs.

RE both the Vowels in a

1&A Diphthong plainly pronoun

ced?

A. In fome Words they feem to be both pronounced, in fome they are

not,

not, and in other Words they have a peculiar Sound by themselves.

2 Q. Give fome Inftances of Words where both Vowels feem to be pronounced..

A. a, i, are both pronounced in the Word Pain; o, u, in House ; o, i, in Point; o, w, in Cor.

3 Q. Give fome Inftances of Diph thongs, where but one of the Vowels is pronounced.i

A. a only is pronounced in Heart, a in Bread, in Guide, o in Cough, and u in rough.

4. Give fome Inftances where the Vowels, joined in a Diphthong,. Have a peculiar Sound of their own. A. e, e, in need; 0, 0, in Moon. 5Q. What is the Ufe of writing two Vowels where but one is nounced?

pro

A. Cuftom has made it neceffary, and it ferves alfo generally to lengthen the Syllable, or to alter the Sound of the other Vowel, as a, u, in Caufe; e, o, in People; o, a, in Groan.

6Q. Do not Diphthongs much alter their Sound in different Words? D 2

A. Yes;

A. Yes; fo much, as fcarce to be reduced to any certain Rules: and 'tis better learn'd by Custom and Practice.

Note, It has been ufual with Writers on these Subjects, to diftinguish the Diphthongs into two Sorts, (viz.) proper and improper: they call thofe proper where both Vowels are pronounced, and improper, where one only is founded. But there are fo many Inftances wherein one of the Vowels is not founded, even in those which they call proper Diphthongs, as in Aunt, grow, flow, cough, rough, neuter, &c. that I chufe rather to make no fuch Diftinction between them; for 'tis nothing but Practice can teach us how and when one or both Vowels are to be founded.

We should proceed in the next place to fhow what difference there is in the Pronunciation of proper Names, or Words of any foreign Language..

Let it be obferved in general, that most Words borrowed or derived from the learned Languages, (viz.) Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, are pronounced in English, as English-men pronounce them in thofe Lasguages; except where the Termination is alter'd, and thofe Words are made English, then that Termination is pronounced according to the Engli Cuflom.

Thofe Words that we have borrow'd from our Neighbour Nations, fuch as the French, &c. fhould be pronounced nearly

as

as a Frenchman pronounces them in his byr own Tongue.

But to help the English Reader, these few following Rules may be of fome Ad

vantage.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the Sound of the Confonants in Foreign Words.

2W

HICH of the Confo-nants differ from their English Sound, in Words borrowed or derived from other Languages? A. c,g, b, and t, in proper Names, and foreign Words, differ a little from the ufual English Pronunciation, alfo the double Confonant ch. 22. Wherein doth c differ?

А. с A. c founds like k in Sceptick, Scepticism, Sceleton, Afcetick; and fome proper Names, as Cis, Cenchrea, Aceldama, which Names are better written with k.

3

Where doth ch differ from

the English Sound?

r

A. ch founds like k in Words derived from the, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, as Chaos, Character, Chriftian, Stomach, Anchor, Scheme, &c. and proper Names, as Melchizedek, Archelaus, Archippus, and Antioch But there are two Exceptions.

>

Firft, except Schifm, Schifmatic, Drachm, &c. where the ch is loft. Secondly, except Rachel, Tychicus, Cherubin; and the Words that are made English, beginning with Arch, as Arch-bishop, Arch-angel, Architect, where ch has the proper English Sound: tho if a Vowel follow Arch, the ch may be alfo fometimes founded like k, as Archetype, Architect, &c. may be read Arke-type, Arki-tect.

42. How is ch founded in French Words?

A. ch in French Words founds like fb, as Chevalier, Machine, Capuchin, Chagrin.

52 How is g founded in proper Names, and foreign Words?

A. g keeps its hard Sound in most proper Names and foreign Words, before e and i, as Geba, Gilboa, Gil

bert,