Reverse the process, beginning high and giving a long falling inflection to the first vowel, then to the second, and so on, allowing the others to drop away to the lowest tones, as in answering a question, thus: 26. Inflect the voice repeatedly upward from the lowest to the highest tones easily reached on the vowel "a," thus: 27. Speak words with a long, strong inflection of question, surprise and assertion, thus: 28. Read aloud, with as much variety and range of inflection as you can command, the scene from Julius Cæsar, III, iii, problem 13, pp. 63–64. EXERCISE IN VOICE TRAINING The following poem affords excellent opportunity for applying in actual speech all the principles set forth in the above program of exercises. Study it carefully and read it often, endeavoring always to command that control of breath, clear tone, fullness, and resonance of voice which its thought and spirit demand. THE RISING 1 T. Buchanan Read Out of the North the wild news came, And there was tumult in the air, The fife's shrill note, the drum's loud beat, Within its shade of elm and oak The church of Berkley Manor stood; And some esteemed of gentle blood. In vain their feet with loitering tread In that republic of the dead. How sweet the hour of Sabbath talk, The vale with peace and sunshine full, Where all the happy people walk, Decked in their homespun flax and wool! Wears on her breast, like her own heart, Is breathing rose and lavender. 1 From The Wagoner of the Alleghanies. Copyrighted by J. B. Lippincott Company. Used with the kind permission of the publishers.. The pastor came: his snowy locks A moment there was awful pause, When Berkley cried, "Cease, traitor! cease! God's temple is the house of peace! The other shouted, "Nay, not so, When God is with our righteous cause; His holiest places then are ours, His temples are our forts and towers That frown upon the tyrant foe; And now before the open door The warrior-priest had ordered so- So loud and clear, it seemed the ear And every word its ardor flung From off its jubilant iron tongue Was, "WAR! WAR! WAR!” "Who dares”—this was the patriot's cry, For her to live, for her to die?" CHAPTER XII ENUNCIATION AND PRONUNCIATION 48. The elements of speech SPEECH is made up of vowel and consonant sounds combined to form words. Distinctness and accuracy depend, therefore, on the clear and correct enunciation of these elements. 1. The vowels. Vowels are the more open sounds of language. They are made by the vibration of the vocal chords, and differentiated by modification in the shape of the oral cavity, effected chiefly by the tongue and the jaw. When the vowels are well sounded there is little constriction of the tongue or jaw, their action is free and easy, and the mouth is held as far open as the character of the vowel permits. (In speaking "å," for example, the jaw is dropped farther than for sounding "e," but for both vowels the mouth is fairly well opened.) 66 66 For the correct utterance of vowels two things are essential. First, the speech organs must be properly placed for forming the sounds; second, the sound must be made. Since the ability to make the sounds of our language is acquired mainly through the sense of hearing, written instruction in this matter, when instruction is needed, is of doubtful value. Incorrect formation of these sounds can best be remedied by the aid of a teacher. But it is worth while here to call attention to the necessity of sounding the vowels and to suggest certain methods of improving speech in this respect. Much of indistinctness in speech is due to carelessness |