Page:The Making of Latin.djvu/32

18 vowel ə (§ 29); and the last sound of dual, mussel, bottle, carol is a sonant l.

§ . When a current is modified not by a musical vibration, but roughly so that it is either rubbed in passing through a narrow passage, or for a moment altogether stopped and then released, we get the two classes of sounds called Fricatives, or rubbed sounds, and Plosives, sounds with a kind of burst or explosion. For Aspirates see § 50.

The interruption can be made at any part of the mouth by the lips or by the tongue, either alone or in combination with the teeth. We get therefore different kinds of Fricatives or Plosives according as the sound is formed by Breath or Voice, and according to the place at which the Breath or Voice is rubbed (in Fricatives) or stopped (in Plosives).

§ . consonants are formed by the tongue and the Velum, that is the soft part of the palate at the back; e.g. the Velar Plosives Eng. c in cotton or g in got. These sounds are often followed by a consonant u, as in Eng. quantity, anguish; Lat. quod ‘what,’ unguo ‘I anoint.’ Strictly they are written q and ǥ (‘gu’).

§ . Plosives are made when the current of the Breath or Voice is stopped by the tongue pressed against some part of the hard palate, as Eng. k in kin or g in get. Strictly they are written k̑ and g̑.

§ . For the current is