Page:Critical Pronouncing Dictionary (Walker, 4th edition, London, 1806).pdf/57

Rh is silent, and the g, pronounced hard. The q in antique and oblique, is pronounced like k, as if the words were written anteek and oblike. (158)

. The terminations in ogue, from the Greek, are pronounced in the same manner. Thus pedagogue, demadoguedemagogue [sic], ptysmagogue, menagogue, emmenagogue, synagogue, mystagogue, decalogue, dialogue, trialogue, catalogue, theologue, eclogue, monologue, prologue, and epilogue, are all pronounced as if written pedagog, demagog, etc. with the o short.

. This diphthong, after r, becomes oo: thus true is pronounced troo. (176)

. The u in this diphthong, as in ua and ue, when both vowels are pronounced without forming two syllables, is pronounced like w: thus languid, anguish, languish, extinguish, distinguish, relinquish, vanquish, linguist, penguin, pursuivant, guiacum, are pronounced as if written langwid, angwish, etc. and cuiss and cuisses, as if written kwiss and kwisses, and cuirass, as if written kwirass.

. The u is silent, and the i pronounced long, in guide, disguise, guile, and beguile; but the u is silent, and the i short, in guild, build, guilt, guinea, guitar. Guild, in Guildhall, is, by the lower people of London, pronounced so as to rhyme with child; but this is directly opposite to the best usage, and contrary to its etymology, as it is a compound of guild (a corporation, always pronounced like the verb to gild) and hall. Dr. Jones, who wrote in Queen Anne's time, tells us it was then pronounced as if written Gildhall. In circuit and biscuit the u is merely servile; in both the c is hard, and the i short, as if written surkit, and bisket. Conduit is pronounced cundit.

. In juice, sluice, suit, and pursuit, the i is silent, and the u has its diphthongal sound, as if preceded by e, and the words were written slewse, jewse, sewt, pursewt.

. When this diphthong is preceded by r, it is pronounced like oo; thus bruise, cruise, fruit, bruit, recruit, are pronounced as if written broose, croose, broot. (339)

. The u in this diphthong is pronounced like w, in quote, quota, quotation, quotient, quotidian, quorum, quondam, siliquose, quoth, as if written kwote, kwota, kwotation, etc. Coif, and coit, commonly pronounced kwoif and kwoit, do not come under this class. See the words.

. This diphthong, with the accent on it, sinks the u, and pronounces the y like long i: thus buy, the only word where uy has the accent, rhymes with fly, dry, etc. when the accent is not on this diphthong it is sounded like long e, as plaguy, roguy, gluy, pronounced pla-gee, ro-gee, (with the g hard, as in get) glu-ee. The same may be observed of obloquy, ambiloquy, pauciloquy, soliloquy, ventriloquy, alloquy, colloquy, pronounced oblo-quee, ambilo-quee, etc.

. This diphthong is found only in the word buoy, pronounced as if written bwoy, but too often exactly like boy. But this ought to be avoided by correct speakers.

. When b follows m in the same syllable, it is generally silent, as in lamb, kemb, limb, comb, dumb, etc. except accumb and succumb: it is silent also before t in the same syllable, as in debt, doubt, redoubt, redoubted, and their compounds: it is silent before t, when not in the same syllable, in the word subtle, (cunning) often inaccurately used for subtile, (fine) where the b is always pronounced. In the mathematical term rhomb, the b is always heard, and the word pronounced as if written rhumb. Ambs-ace is pronounced Aims-ace. See.

. C is always hard like k before a, o, and u; as card, cord, curd; and soft, like s, before e, i, and y; as cement, city, cynic.

. When c ends a word, or syllable, it is always hard, as in music, flaccid, siccity, pronounced musick, flac-sid, sick-sity. See.

. In the word sceptic, where the first c, according to analogy, ought to be pronounced like s, Dr. Johnson has not only given his approbation to the sound of k, but has, contrary to general practice, spelt the word skeptic. It may be observed, perhaps, in this, as on other occasions, of that truly great man, that he is but seldom wrong; but when he is so, that he is generally wrong to absurdity. What a monster does this word skeptic appear to an eye the least classical or correct! And if this alteration be right, why should we hesitate to write and pronounce scene, sceptre, and Lacedaemon, skene, skeptre, and Lakedaemon, as there is the same reason for k in all? It is not, however, my intention to cross the general current of polite and classical pronunciation, which I know is that of sounding the c like k; my objection is only to writing it with the k: and in this I think I am supported by the best authorities since the publication of Johnson's Dictionary.

. C is mute in Czar, Czarina, victuals, indict, arbuscle, corpuscle, and muscle; it sounds like tch in the Italian words vermicelli and violoncello; and like z in suffice, sacrifice, sice, (the number six at dice) and discern.

. This letter, when connected with h, has two