Page:The Making of Latin.djvu/37

Rh and χ were pronounced like ph in Eng. uphill, th in Eng. boat-house, kh in Eng. pack-horse.

English and Latin h, Greek ῾

§ . The sound which is denoted by the letter h is a slight rustle of Breath, which can hardly be heard unless a Vowel or Liquid immediately follows. A rustle of this sort can be produced by a very slight. rubbing of the current of Breath at almost any point. In English it is made by sending some Breath through the larynx while the Vocal Edges are in course of being stretched: so soon as they are stretched the following vowel sound begins.

§ . The proper name for the sound of h is therefore what it is called in Greek, namely a ‘rough breathing’; and it is unfortunate that it has popularly come to be called “the aspirate,” since this word is used in Phonetics, as we have seen, to mean something different.