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the inflexion is pitched within the

upper half. Thus :

Well. Ah! Yes. Go! Not I! Beware! You! Oh!

17. Our notation represents four degrees, which, (without any attempt at strict musical accuracy,) may be taken to correspond generally with the intervals of the second, third, fifth, and octave.

18. The intervals of the semitone and the minor third

have a peculiarly plaintive effect. The cry of "Fire!" may be assumed as an appropriate key-word, as it is universally uttered with plaintive intonation. Pronounce this word with natural expressiveness, and alternate with it any words of fear or sadness, with similar inflexion, and the plaintive intervals may be satisfactorily practised even by the "ear"-less and unmusical student.

Fire! Fire! Alas! Ah! Well-a-day! Farewell! Ah me!

IV. PREPARATORY PITCH.

The radical

19. Inflexion is associated with accent. part of the inflexion coincides with the accentual force, and when any syllable or syllables precede the accent, they should be pronounced in the opposite half of the voice-high when the accent is low, and low when the accent is high. Thus :

What now?

:

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Not I!

Take care!

Aha!

Oh really!

20. This principle of opposite preparatory pitch gives distinctiveness to the two Modes of each inflexion; the one mode having the accent lower, and the other mode having the accent higher, than the pre-accentual pitch. A farther difference in each tone depends on the inflexion of the pre-accentual syllables towards or from the accentual pitch. The latter is in all cases the more emphatic arrangement. (See Diagrams, page 81.)

V. EXPRESSIVENESS OF THE INFLEXIONS.

21. The mechanism of the various tones has now been explained, but the student, with no other than the mechanical guide, would be apt to form jerking and angular tones instead of the smoothly rounded transitions of natural inflexion. The following summary of the expressiveness of the various vocal movements will assist in giving to the exercises that quality of conversational effect which is, above all, to be cultivated.

I. Rising Tones APPEAL:

1. To bespeak attention to something to follow. 2. For solution of doubt.

3. For an expression of the hearer's will.

4. To question possibility of assertion.

II. Falling Tones ASSERT:—

1. To express completion of a statement. 2. To express conviction.

3. To express the speaker's will.

4. To express impossibility of denial.

22. Compound tones unite with the ordinary effect of the rising or falling termination, a suggestion of antithesis, or reference to something previously understood. Thus:

Simple Appeal. Will you?

Referential Appeal. Will you? (in view of certain circumstances.)

Simple Assertion. I will.

Referential Assertion. I will. (notwithstanding certain circumstances.)

23, The inflexions have also a sentimental as well as a logical expressiveness. Thus :

Rising tones express attractive sentiments, as pity. admiration, love, &c.

Falling tones express repulsive sentiments, as reproach, contempt, hatred, &c.

24. It is important in practice always to associate some appropriate sentiment or logical formula with the various tones. The following will be found convenient. In pronouncing words for inflective exercise associate with No. 1.(1st. Mode) INQUIRY, (2nd. Mode) SURPRISE. 66 COMMAND.

No. 2.

66

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ASSERTION,
REMONSTRANCE,“ 66

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THREATENING
SARCASM.

25. Or, preflx, audibly or mentally, to the words to be inflected, the formulas subjoined to the Tones in the following diagrams :

GAMUT OF INFLEXIONS:

FIRST MODE.

SECOND MODE.

1st degree. 2nd degree. 3rd degree. 4th degree.

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26. In applying the formulas "Is it?" "It is," &c. pro

nounce them unemphatically, and in the opposite half of the voice to that in which the word to be inflected is pitched. Thus :

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VI. EXERCISES ON THE INFLEXION OF WORDS. 27. Pronounce each of the following words with the logical or sentimental expressiveness of the eight varieties of speaking tones. Long monosyllables and words which begin with the accented syllable, being the easiest of inflexion are put first.

Ah, ay, eh, oh, you, he, she, they. we, me, I, now, so, how, no, see, go, fie, woe, yours, theirs, ours, mine, none, seem, home, here, there, where, all, come, on, gone, shall, her, sir, us, yes. if. off, look, it, that, but, not, out, what, up, stop;-Acid, airy, author, blessing, circle, city, dogma, doctrine, easy, gorgeous, greedy, happy, idle, loving, mighty, murder, queenly, rosy. soothing, virtue, welcome;-character, circumstance, calculate. dangerous, enemy, feelingly, finical, hardihood, hideous, liberty, ornament, plausible, roguery, satisfy, somebody, troublesome, victory, yesterday;-bibliopole, celibacy, cursorily, despicable, elevated, fascinating, gentlemanly, homicidal, intimately, literally, literary, mannerliness, meditative, missionary, necessary, pettifogger, recreative, serviceable.

28. Pronounce the following words with well-marked preparatory tones in the opposite half of the voice to that in which the accented syllable is pitched :—

Advert'isement, away, contemporary, determine, disinterested, forsaken, impracticable, intemperate, litigious, opinionative, remember, satanic, subordinate, uncompromising;- acrimonious, bacchanalian. benefactor, detrimental, disagreeableness, epigrammatic, genealogical, hieroglyphic, hypochondriacal, ignominious, liberality, notwithstanding, observation, plenipotentiary, recommendation, understanding.

29. In such words as the following, containing unaccented or secondarily accented syllables before secondary

accents, the preparatory tones are susceptible of variety.

Thus :-

Articulation or Articulation.

Incomprehensibility or Incomprehensibility.

Articulation, circumstan'tiality, corruptibility, coun'ter rev'olution, demo'ralization, disad'vantageously, disqual'ification, eccle'siastical, ency'clopedia, enthu'siastic, hallu'cination. im'mate'riality, impen'etrability, imper'spicuity. impos'sibility, in'comprehen'sibility, in'commu'nicability, in'deter'mination, in'tercommu'nication, irrep'arability, irrep'rehen''sibleness, i'soper'imet''rical, person'ification.

VII. RESUME OF THE PRINCIPLES OF MECHANISM. MELODY AND MEANING OF THE INFLEXIONS. 30. (I.) The beginning, relatively to the end, of a simple rising inflexion is low; of a simple falling inflexion, high. (II.) The inflexion begins on the accent; which is thus pitched comparatively low for a rising, high for a falling inflexion. (III.) The rise or fall is continued directly upwards or downwards from the accent, through whatever number of unaccented or secondarily accented syllables may follow. (IV.) Any syllables before the accent are pronounced from an opposite pitch -high before a low accent, low before a high, to increase the emphasis of the accentual elevation or depression. (V.) Rising tones appeal; Falling tones assert. (VI.) The compound Rise consists of a falling or assertive tone, followed by a rising or querulous one, and expresses an ASSERTIVE QUERY. (VII.) The compound Fall consists of a rising or querulous, followed by a falling or assertive tone, and expresses a QUERULOUS ASSERTION. (VIII.) The rising DOUBLE wave has the logical effect of the ordinary compound rise, but with peculiar additional emphasis. (ÎX.) The melody of PREPARATORY pitch is the same for the compound as for the simple

movements.

VIII. EXERCISES ON THE INFLEXION OF CLAUSES.

VERBAL GROUPING.

31. Words are not pronounced singly, and with independent inflexions, but in accentual groups. The gram

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