Page:Aids to the Pronunciation of Irish - Christian Brothers.djvu/53

 the tongue is slightly arched up at the back (§ 11 (a)), and a current of voiced air is driven from the lungs (of course it is not voiced whilst actually in the lungs, it is voiced by the vocal chords (§ 1)). The tongue is then raised so as to make contact with the soft palate in order to produce the consonant “k,” but in doing so it passes through the positions for the English vowels “o” and “u.” This latter vowel is quite audible, so that we really hear the two sounds “aw—uk.” “u”. It must be formed, therefore there is no necessity for indicating it in writing. With regard to the second word—viz., “oak” the first remark we have to make is that the “a” has no function whatever in this word, and if English was spelled phonetically, this “a” would not be written. In pronouncing the word the tongue is first put into position for the mid back vowel—i.e., “o” (§ 11 (d)), and is then raised to make contact for the “k,” and thus produces a short “u,” consequently we actually pronounce “o—uk.” In pronouncing “cool,” no glide is formed between the k and the u, because in lowering the tongue from the position for “k” to that for “oo” we do not pass through the position for any other vowel, therefore a glide is not formed. But immediately after the sounding of the "oo" the tongue has to move bodily forward in the mouth in order to make contact for the “l,” and whilst the tongue is making this movement voiced air is passing through the mouth, and consequently an undefinable (as regards position) vowel must be produced, and the sound of the word is like