Vowel diphthongs are only four in number: ui [rare], oi, au, ai.
The complete closure consonants of simple form are k, t, p. Those which have the closure with the voice going simultaneously are g, d, b.
Restriction consonants of simple form are h, sh, s, th, hw. Those which have the restriction with voice going simultaneously are y, zh, z, dh, l, r, w.
Consonant diphthong of closure plus restriction of simple form is tsh. The same with the voice going simultaneously is dzh.
Consonants with the mouth completely hemmed but the nose open are ng, n, m.
The English language, like others, proceeds in syllables. Each syllable consists of a vowel or vowel diphthong, plus or minus consonant trimmings.
A word consisting of more than one syllable has one of its syllables, most commonly the next to the last, high and loud. Such a high and loud syllable is said to be accented. One-syllable words may or may not be high and loud, but it makes little difference to the understanding, whereas polysyllabic words are distorted if the highness and loudness are placed on the wrong syllable.
All sounds are made in the tract between the larynx and the lips. The points of articulation are the glottis of the larynx, the back of the tongue, the middle of the tongue, the front of the tongue, and the lips. Only h comes from the larynx. Only three consonants [k, g, ng] come from the back of the tongue. Only y comes from the middle of the tongue. By far the greatest number of consonants come from the flexible front of the tongue. That
[ 23 ]
