Page:Critical Pronouncing Dictionary (Walker, 4th edition, London, 1806).pdf/83

Rh he divides retrogradation, retrogression, retrospect, retrospection, and retrospective, into re-tro-gra-da-tion, re-tro-gres-sion, re-tro-spect, re-tro-spec-tion, and re-tro-spec-tive. At the first sight of these words we are tempted to prefer the preposition in a distinct syllable, as supposing that mode to convey more distinctly each part of the word; but custom at large, the best interpreter of nature, soon lets us see that these prepositions coalesce with the word they are prefixed to, for reasons greatly superior to those which present themselves at first. (514) If we observe the tendency of pronunciation, with respect to inseparable prepositions, we shall find, that those compound words which we adopt whole from other languages, we consider as simples, and pronounce them without any respect to their component parts; but those compounds which we form ourselves, retain the traces of their formation, in the distinction which is observable between the prepositive and radical part of the word: thus retrograde, retrogression, retrospect, and retrospective, coming compounded to us from the Latin, ought, when the accent is on the preposition, to shorten the vowel, and unite it to the root, as in res-ur-rec-tion, rec-ol-lec-tion, prep-o-sit-ion, etc. while re-commit, re-convey, etc. being compounds of our own, must preserve it separate.

. From what has been observed, arises this general rule: where the compound retains the primary sense of the simples, and the parts of the word are the same in every respect, both in and out of composition, then the preposition is pronounced in a distinct syllable; but when the compound departs ever so little from the literal sense of the simples, the same departure is observable in the pronunciation; hence the different syllabication and pronunciation of re-com-mence and rec-om-mend; the former signifies a repetition of a commencement, but the latter does not imply a repetition of a commendation: thus re-petition would signify to petition again; while rep-etition signifies only an iteration of the same act, be it what it will. The same may be observed of the words re-create and rec-reate, re-formation and ref-ormation.

. That this is perfectly agreeable to the nature of the language, appears from the short pronunciation of the vowel in the first syllable of preface, prelate, prelude, prologue, etc. as if divided into pref-ace, prel-ate, prel-ude, prol-ogue, etc. It is much to be regretted, however, that this short sound of the penultimate vowel has so much obtained in our language, which abounds too much in these sounds; nor can etymology be always pleaded for this pronunciation: for in the foregoing words, the first vowel is long in the Latin praefatio, praelatus, praeludium, though short in prŏlogus: for though in words from the Greek the preposition προ was short, in Latin it was generally long; and why we should shorten it in progress, project, etc. where it is long in Latin, can only be accounted for by the superficial application of a general rule, to the prejudice of the sound of our language. (543)

. It will be necessary, however, to observe, that in forming a judgement of the propriety of these observations, the nicest care must be taken not to confound those prepositions which are under the primary and secondary accent, with those which immediately precede the stress; for preclude, pretend, etc. are under a very different predicament from prologue, preposition, etc. and the very same law that obliges us to pronounce the vowel short in the first syllable of prov-i-dence, prov-o-cation, and prof-a-nation, obliges us to pronounce the vowel open, and with some degree of length, in pro-vide, pro-voke, and pro-fane. The same may be observed of the e in re-pair and rep-a-ration, re-ply and rep-li-cation, re-peat, and rep-e-tition, the accent making the whole difference between the quantity of the vowel in one word and the other.

. The only exception to the shortening power of the secondary accent, is the same as that which prevents the shortening power of the primary accent, (503) namely, the vowel u, as in lucubration, or when any other of the vowels are succeeded by a semi-consonant diphthong: (196) thus mediator and mediatorial have the e in the first syllable as long as in mediate; deviation has the e in the first syllable as long as in deviate, notwithstanding the secondary accent is on it, and which would infallibly have shortened it, if it had not been for the succeeding diphthong ia; and even this diphthong, in gladiator, has not the power of preserving the first syllable long, though Mr. Sheridan, by his marking it, has made it so.

. From what has been seen of accent and quantity, it is easy to perceive how prone our language is to an antepenultimate accent, and how naturally this accent shortens the vowel it falls upon: nay, so great a propensity have vowels to shrink under this accent, that the diphthong itself, in some words, and analogy in others, are not sufficient to prevent it, as valiant, retaliate. Thus, by the subjoining only of al to nation, with the a long, it becomes national, with the a short, though contrary to its relation with occasion and congregation, which do not shorten the a upon being made occasional and congregational: in like manner the acquisition of the same termination to the word nature, makes it nat-u-ral; but this, it may be presumed, is derived from the Latin naturalis, and not from adding al to the English word, as in the foregoing instances; and thus it comes under the shortening power of the antepenultimate accent, notwithstanding the semi-consonant diphthong u.

. The same shortening power in the antepenultimate accent may be observed in rational and ratiocinate, where the first a in the first word and the o in the second, are short. The first a in the second word is short also by the power of the secondary accent; though Mr. Sheridan has,