Chapter 8 of 129
PART FIRST. ELOCUTION.
Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Embracing a Full Exposition of the Principles of Rhetorical Reading; with Numerous Exercises for Practice, Both in Prose and Poetry, Various in Style, and Carefully Adapted to the Purposes of Teaching in Schools of Every Grade · Charles W. (Charles Walton) Sanders
Elocution is the art of delivering written or extemporaneous composition with force, propriety, and ease.
It deals, therefore, with words, not only as individuals, but as members of a sentence, and parts of a connected discourse: including every thing necessary to the just expression of the sense. Accordingly, it demands, in a special manner, attention to the following particulars; viz., ARTICULATION, ACCENT, EMPHASIS, INFLECTION, MODULATION, and PAUSES.
SECTION I.
ARTICULATION.
Articulation is the art of uttering distinctly and justly the letters and syllables constituting a word.
It deals, therefore, with the elements of words, just as elocution deals with the elements of sentences: the one securing the true enunciation of each letter, or combination of letters, the other giving to each word, or combination of words, such a delivery as best expresses the meaning of the author. It is the basis of all good reading, and should be carefully practiced by the learner.
ELEMENTARY SOUNDS OF THE LETTERS.
21: Soft G is equivalent to J; soft C to S, and hard C and Q to K. X is equivalent to K and S, as in box, or to G and Z as in exalt.
42: WH is pronounced as if the H preceded W, otherwise it would be pronounced W hen. R should be slightly trilled before a vowel. For further instructions, see Sanders and Merrill's Elementary and Elocutionary Chart.