Orthoepy and Orthography. 426. The Compound term, ORTHOEPY AND ORTHOGRAPHY, is a name given to that part of Grammar, which includes; first, the Syllabication of Words; second, the Classification of Words according to their Syllabication; third, the Classification of Words according to their Formation; and fourth, the Classification of Words according to their Derivation. Syllabication of Words. 427. First. SYLLABICATION is a term applied to the science and art of separating a word into its syllables. Rules for Syllabication. 428. RULE I. A word must be separated into as mang syl lables as it has distinct vocal sounds. EXAMPLES. 1. Con-stan-ti-no-ple; con-ven-ience. In the word, convenience, i is used for y, and the final e is quantitative; hence, there are three distinct vocal sounds, and three syllables. 2 A-e-ri-al; beau-ty; re-joice; re-sound. 429. RULE II. A consonant, between two vowels of a root, must be taken with the former vowel, if the vowel be short; but, must not be taken with the former vowel, if the vowel be long. 3. Former Vowel Short. Hon-or; min-us; di-min-ish; minu-end; min-er-al; hom-i-cide. 4. Former Vowel Long. No-ta-ble; re-verse; pre-ju-dicial. NOTE I. This Rule prevails not only in the English, but also in the Latin Language; although, by many students of the latter language, it is entirely disregarded. Thus, hom-o is erroneously syllabified homo, although all English words on the same root are syllabified according to Rule II.; as, hom-i-cide, etc. 430. RULE III. If a prefix, or a suffix, contain a vowel, it must be syllabified by itself. 5. Pre-exist; un-con-troll-a-ble; in-con-ven-ient-ly. 431. RULE IV. A letter of euphony must be syllabified by itself, or with its preceding consonant. 6. Ac-cept-(a)-bil-(i)-ty; con-stel-la-tion; re-press-i-ble. 432. RULE V. The immediate elements of a compound word must be syllabified separately. 7. Nev-er, the, less; not, with, stand-ing. Numbering and Naming Syllables. 433. The Syllables of words are numbered from the left to the right; as, First Syllable, Second Syllable, Third Syllable, etc. They are named from the right to the left; the last syllable is called the Ultimate Syllable; the next to the last or the second from the right is called the Penultimate or Penult; the third from the right or the Syllable before the Penult is called the Antepenult; the fourth from the right or the Syllable before the Antepenult is called the Preantepenult;1 and so on, alternating ante, and pre; as, Preantepreante, etc. 8. Un'-in-tel-li-gi"-bil-i-ty." Ly is the ultimate Syllable; i, the penult; bil, the antepenult; gi, the preante penult; li, the ante preante penult, etc. Classification of Words according to their Syllabication. 434. Second, According to their Syllabication, Words are divided into Monosyllable, and Polysyllable. 435. A MONOSYLLABLE Word is one having one syllable. 436. A POLYSYLLABLE Word is one having two or more syllables. 1 PREANTEPENULT PREANTEPENULTIMATE 6, —; (a)t,· -;m, many; ult, the last; ante pre before. 437. Polysyllable Words are divided into the Dissyllabic, or two syllables; Trisyllabic, or three syllables; Tetrasyllabic, or four syllables; Pentasyllabic, or five syllables; Hexasyllabic, or six syllables; Heptasyllabic, or seven syllables; Octasyllabic, or eight syllables; Novisyllabic, or nine syllables; etc. Classification of Words according to their Formation. 438. Third. According to their formation, Words are divided into Simple, and Compound. 439. A SIMPLE Word is one whose immediate elements are syllables. Thus; the, never, less; with, not, standing; etc. 440. A COMPOUND Word is one whose immediate elements are words. Thus; nevertheless, notwithstanding; etc. Classification of Words according to their Derivation. 441. Fourth. According to their derivation, Words are Primitive, or Derivative. 442. A PRIMITIVE Word is a simple word, without prefix, or suffix. As, join, boy, song, cruel, vision, verse. 443. A DERIVATIVE Word is one which is formed by joining prefixes, or suffixes, or both to a primitive word. As, rejoin, unjoin, boyish, songless, cruelly, revision, visionary, irreversibility. NOTE II. Many English Primitive or Root words were also used as Root or Primitive Words in other languages, as the Greek, Latin, ete. ; hence, when these Primitive or Root words, and words derived from them, occur in the English, they are said to be derived from the Greek, Latin, etc. See Webster's Dictionary. 444. A Derivative Word may be regarded as an ancient phrase, or sentence, which, by long and familiar use, has been condensed into what appears to be a single word. See Contractions of Sentences. 445. Generally, the Root or Basis of a Derivative word may be regarded as a principal word of a Phrase, or of a sentence; the suffix, as an adjunct of the Root or Primitive word; and the prefix, as a relator. This is especially true, when the Derivative word is an old word. NOTE III. Anciently, phrases and sentences were written from the right to the left; hence, words formed by contracting these phrases, or sentences, may be most readily analyzed from the right to the left; while, words, formed by contracting phrases and sentences written from the left to the right, may be more readily analyzed from the left to the right; and thus, the comparative ages of these words may be known. NOTE IV. In the following analyses, we speak of Saxon, Roman, and Greek Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes, rather because these expressions are in vogue, than because we have faith in the theory, that the English is merely derived from these languages. In this department of English Philology, there is a wide and almost unexplored field, offering many attractions and great rewards to the successful explorer. EXAMPLES. 1. ADDITION. ion, science and art of; (i)t, that which is; d, puts, joints; ad, together. 2. NEVERMORE. more,; ever,—; n=ne, not. 3. FRACTIONAL. al, belonging to; ion, state or conditio of; t, that which; frac, has been broken. 4. MIXED. ed, condition of, state of; mix=misc, one kind scattered through another. NOTE V. Sometimes a word having an ancient origin, has subsequently received a prefix; as,— 5. THING, NOTHING. ing, condition of; th, [that which] fixed, put, placed; no,-. 446. Sometimes the final letters of the primitive or root words are changed for the sake of Euphony, or for the sake of agreeable sound, and ease of speaking. First Change. Final e is dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added; as Exception. Generally, before the suffixes able and ous, words ending in ge, retain the e; those in ce, retain e before able, but change it into i before ous; as — change changeable outrage релсе grace Second Change. Abridge, acknowledge, argue, awe, due, judge, lodge, and true, drop e before ful, ly, and sometimes before ment; as Third Change. Ie is changed into y before ing; as Fourth Change. E, preceded by c, s, or t, aspirated, or by v, becomes i before a suffix beginning with o; as grace gracious erase erasion create behave Fifth Change. Y, not after a vowel in its own syllable, is I usually changed into i; sometimes into e; as pity Exception First. Lay, say, and pay, change y into i; as lay laid say said pay paid. Exception Second. Y before ing is never changed; as pitying |