Business English: A Practice Book by Rose Buhlig is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . PRONUNCIATION here PRONUNCIATION We are judged by our speech. If we clip syllables, run words together, or pronounce them incorrectly, we shall merit the criticism of being careless or even ignorant. Yet clear enunciation and correct pronunciation are sometimes difficult. We learn most words by hearing others say them, and, if we do not hear the true values given to the different syllables, we shall find it hard to distinguish the correct from the incorrect forms. Children whose parents speak a foreign language usually have to watch their speech with especial care; Germans, for example, find difficulty in saying and Irish people in saying as in . The exercises in this chapter are given for the purpose of correcting such habits. The words in the exercises should be pronounced repeatedly, until the correct forms are instinctive. th oi oil Train the ear to hear the difference between sounds, as in and in . Don't slide over the final consonant in such words as and . Watch words containing . The dictionary tells us that was originally written , the coming before the and we still pronounce it so, although we write the before the . The word is of the same kind. The dictionary tells us that it was first spelled . Such words should be carefully noted and their pronunciation practiced. just jest going reading wh where hwar h w; w h whether hweder Then there is the habit of slurring syllables. We may understand what is meant by the expression "C'm' on" or "Waja say?", but most of us would prefer not to be included in the class of people who use either. Correct speech cannot be mastered without an effort. In the following exercises watch every vowel and every consonant so that you may give each one its full value. Exercise 10—Diacritical Marks Although an is always written , it is not always given the same quality or length of sound. When we discover a new word, it is important that we know exactly the quality to give each of the vowels in it. For this purpose have been invented. They are illustrated in the following list from Webster's . a a diacritical marks International Dictionary Due to the constraints of HTML, a letter with a tack above such as cannot be displayed. For this reason [+x] has been used to denote a letter with a tack above it. Transcriber's Note: ā as in āte, fāte, lāb´or [+a] " " sen´[+a]te, del´ic[+a]te, [+a]e´rial â " " câre, shâre, pâr´ent ă " " ăm, ădd, răn´dom ä " " ärm, fär, fä´ther ȧ " " ȧsk, grȧss, pȧss, dȧnce a̠ " " fi´na̠l, in´fa̠nt, guid´ānce a̤ " " a̤ll, a̤we, swa̤rm, ta̤lk ē " " ēve, mēte, serēne´ [+e] " " [+e]vent´, d[+e]pend´, soci´[+e]ty ĕ " " ĕnd, mĕt, ĕxcuse´, ĕfface´ ẽ " " fẽrn, hẽr, ẽr´mine, ev´ẽr e " " re´c nt, de´c ncy, pru´d nce e e e ī " " īce, tīme, sīght, inspīre´ [+i] " " [+i]dea´, tr[+i]bu´nal, b[+i]ol´ogy ĭ " " ĭll, pĭn, pĭt´y, admĭt´ ō " " ōld, nōte, ō´ver, prōpose´ [+o] " " [+o]bey´, t[+o]bac´co, sor´r[+o]w ô " " ôrb, lôrd, ôr´der, abhôr´ ŏ " " ŏdd, nŏt, tŏr´rid, ŏccur´ ū " " ūse, pūre, dū´ty, assūme´ [+u] " " [+u]nite´, ac´t[+u]ate, ed[+u]ca´tion ṳ " " rṳde, rṳ´mor, intrṳde´ ụ " " fụll, pụt, fụlfill´ ŭ " " ŭp, tŭb, stŭd´y û " " ûrn, fûr, concûr´ y̆ " " pit´y̆, in´jury̆, divin´ity̆ o͞o " " fo͞ol, fo͞od, mo͞on o͝o " " fo͝ot, wo͝ol, bo͝ok ou " " out, thou, devour´ oi " " oil, noi´sy, avoid´ ā is called long , and is marked with the a macron ă is called short , and is marked with the a breve â is called caret , and is marked with the a caret ä is called Italian , and is marked with the a diaeresis ȧ is called short Italian , and is marked with the a dot ẽ is called tilde , and is marked with the or e tilde wave Exercise 11—Vowels Of the twenty-six letters in the alphabet, how many are vowels? Name them. What are the other letters called? Compare the in and the in . Which has more nearly the sound of in the alphabet? This is called the natural or long sound of the vowel. The other is called the short sound. ă hat ā hate a Drop the from . Explain the result. e hate Name other monosyllables ending in and containing the long sound. e a Explain the difference in pronunciation between , , , , , , , . Pete pet ripe rip hope hop cube cub Find other monosyllables ending in and containing a long vowel that becomes short if the is dropped. e e Monosyllables ending in silent usually contain a long vowel sound, which becomes short when the final is dropped.\Exercise 12 e e Pronounce carefully the following words containing the short Italian a: advȧnce clȧss lȧnce plȧster advȧntage contrȧst lȧst pȧstor ȧfter enchȧnt mȧsk prȧnce bȧsket Frȧnce mȧster rȧfter brȧnch glȧnce mȧstiff shȧft brȧss glȧss pȧss surpȧss chȧff grȧss pȧst tȧsk Exercise 13 Pronounce the following carefully, noting each that is marked: a hälf ideȧ cälm audācious pȧth cȧn't āpricot ȧghȧst ȧsk cătch mȧdrăs ălgebrȧ fäther v[+a]cātion ăgile forbăde dȧnce extrȧ cȧst trȧnce lȧss cȧsket grȧnt āviātion Exercise 14 Pronounce the vowel in the following very carefully. Don't give the sound or when you mean . o feller fella fellow fellow swallow theory borrow potato follow position heroism window original factory donkey pillow evaporate ivory memory chocolate mosquito licorice oriental Exercise 15 The vowel needs particular attention. When it is long, it is sounded naturally, as it is in the alphabet. Do not say for . u redooce reduce reduce picture educate figure produce stupid judicial duty conducive student calculate accumulate endure genuine curiosity Tuesday duration induce regular particular singular avenue tune institute nutriment constitution culinary January revenue introduce opportunity manufacture Exercise 16 Using diacritical marks indicate the value of the vowels in the following. Try marking them without first consulting a dictionary. After you have marked them, compare your markings with those used in a dictionary. pupil different diacritical gigantic alphabet several radiating gymnasium natural letter Wyoming system result eraser typical merchant Exercise 17 Pronounce carefully, noting that in each word at least one consonant is silent, and sometimes a vowel as well. Draw an oblique line through the silent letter or letters in each. through chasten sword island although often fasten daughter wrong soften calf might yacht subtle hasten bouquet gnaw almond naughty honest psalm glisten thumb palm whistle salve should knack salmon chestnut knowledge castle answer folks listen thigh knot right debt honor Exercise 18 Pronounce the following, paying particular attention to the vowels. Distinguish between the meanings of the words in each group. accept bile least prevision except boil lest provision affect carol eleven poor effect coral leaven pure addition descent neither radish edition dissent nether reddish assay emerge pasture sentry essay immerge pastor century baron Francis pillar sit barren Frances pillow set been jest point wrench bean just pint rinse gist Exercise 19 Enunciate the consonant sounds carefully in the following. Distinguish between the meanings of the words in each group. acts close treaties rows ax clothes treatise rouse advice crossed princes rues advise across princess ruse alms formerly prince either elms formally prints ether bodice grays price running bodies grace prize ruin cease lose recent walking seize loose resent walk in chance plaintive sects weather chants plaintiff sex whether does pair news worst dose payer noose worsted (yarn) doze Exercise 20 Pronounce the following, making sure that each syllable is correct. Guard against slurring the words in the last column. been such barrel Did you? gone put faucet Don't you? to with suburb Go on. for tiny hearth Our education aunt and nothing You are far poem office You're not our catch peril We're coming kept toward forbade They're coming says donkey spirit What did you say? rid again semi Where are you going? since against scared Where have you been? sleek honest saucy I want to go. creek savage turnip I'm going to go. where swept roof To-morrow morning boil velvet proof Next month hoist direct hydrant Last Saturday Exercise 21 Enunciate carefully: salary gentleman supple gymnasium because library subtle perspiration ideal wrestle italic clapboards suite vessel insect cupboard thirty friendship orchid archangel tomato judgment hovel candelabra grimy cowardice several extraordinary patron miserable pumpkin civilization omelet guarantee accurate horseshoe hundred gelatine guardian laboratory coupon glycerine delinquent tenacious awkward paraffine secretary measure hurrah portrait audacious February pigeon mercantile conquer cellar history juvenile conquest perfect diamond thousand congress grandmother asylum overalls licorice generally Exercise 22 Be especially careful of the sounds and . Add no syllable to a word and omit none. Consult a dictionary for any word below about which you are not certain: th wh when length diphthong generally where strength diphtheria forget while height anesthetic recognize wharf width betrothal hungry which depth theory geography wheel there theme instead wheeze them arithmetic isolated why eleventh bathe writing whiff twelfth lathe kettle whence thought believe language whet throat bronchitis leisure what wreaths government volume whale paths courteous column wheat months different always wheedle mouths engine once whelp myths English twice whimper breadths surprise arctic whip moths deaf Italian whit bath children picture whither earth cruel often Exercise 23—Homonyms A homonym is a word having the same sound as another but differing from it in meaning. Use each of the following in a sentence to show its meaning. aloud draft fowl principal allowed draught foul principle ascent faint gate peal assent feint gait peel aught canvas great quire ought canvass grate choir bad cereal hew seen bade serial hue scene bale cession kernel soul bail session colonel sole berry cite leased strait bury site least straight boy coarse lesser stair buoy course lessor stare by compliment mite sweet buy complement might suite council feign miner there counsel fain minor their current flour need wood currant flower knead would Exercise 24 Do the same with the following: aisle clause kill sail isle claws kiln sale awl climb key ring all clime quay wring base draught lie serge bass draft lye surge blew dew medal sole blue due meddle soul bough done peer shone bow dun pier shown bread dual pore steel bred duel pour steal bear flue profit stationary bare flew prophet stationery bridal freeze quarts wade bridle frieze quartz weighed capital guilt rest wave capitol gilt wrest waive ceiling heard root wrap sealing herd route rap Exercise 25—Syllabication What is a syllable? Choose a word and notice that every vowel sound in it makes a syllable. Therefore, you never have two vowels in one syllable unless the two are pronounced as one sound. In pronouncing notice carefully to which syllable a consonant belongs; as in , , . dif-fer-ent beau-ti-fy dai-sy Divide the following words into syllables. If you cannot decide with which syllable a consonant belongs, consult a dictionary. paper grocer rotate mystery tomato erect repeat regular vinegar polish general arithmetic If a syllable, especially an accented syllable, ends in a vowel, what is usually the length of the vowel? If the syllable ends in a consonant, what is usually the length of the vowel of the syllable? When a consonant is doubled, the division is usually made between the two letters; as, blot-ter skip-ping remit-tance neces-sary throt-tle span-ning As a rule, a prefix constitutes one syllable; as, pro-long pre-fer con-stant de-fect ad-mit re-ceive se-lect dis-trust e-merge im-merse As a rule, a suffix constitutes one syllable; as, labor-er soft-ly beauti-fy selec-tion mole-cule revolution-ist percent-age fanat-ic When two or more letters together give one sound, they must not be divided; as, math-ematics ex-change paragraph-ing abolish-ing bow-ing toil-ing nation-al gra-cious Can a word of one syllable be divided? Do not divide a syllable of one letter from the rest of the word. The division is wrong. ever-y Exercise 26 Divide the following words into syllables, using the suggestions given in the preceding exercise: accountant dissatisfaction manufacturer reference advertisement economy material repeatedly anecdote employment mechanical salesman annually energetic neighborhood security application environment occupation separate automobile especially opportunity signature beginning establishment organized specification collection expenditure permanent stenography comparison factory preparation suburban competent furniture president superintend confirmation illustration quotation systematic consequence impression realize telephone correspondence improvement receptacle treasurer counterfeit judgment recognition unanimous customer machinist recommend unusual Exercise 27—Accent What is accent? Divide into syllables, indicate the accent, and pronounce the following: expand volume defect interesting mischievous usually incomparable theatre exquisite tedious hospitable generally column inquiry impious In the following words the meaning changes with the accent. Use each word in a sentence to show its meaning. ob´ject subject contrast desert ob-ject´ insult protest extract tor´ment essay conflict compact tor-ment´ transfer compound survey minute (notice the vowel change) refuse (notice the consonant change) Bring to class a list of words that you have heard mispronounced in your classes. Be sure that you can pronounce them correctly. Exercise 28 The following words are frequently mispronounced. Divide them into syllables, mark the accent, and pronounce carefully. municipal exquisite champion accurately interesting gondola inquiry Genoa influence finance inexplicable alias illustrate deficit despicable expert inventory pretense mischievous impious alternate dirigible perfume detail About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Rose Buhlig (2011). Business English: A Practice Book. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/38046/pg38046-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

SPELLING RULES

INTERESTING WORDS

Did you enjoy this story? Share your thoughts about this book or others like it here.

Too Long; Didn't Read

Boost your HackerNoon story @ $159.99! 🚀

We are judged by our speech

About Author

Comments

TOPICS

THIS ARTICLE WAS FEATURED IN

Related Stories

Untitled Story

THE CORPORATION

10 Websites That You Should Know About

1000 Stories To Learn About Hackernoon Books

10 Cybersecurity Books Every Business Owner Should Read

10 books I wish I read before starting up

THE CORPORATION

10 Websites That You Should Know About

1000 Stories To Learn About Hackernoon Books

10 Cybersecurity Books Every Business Owner Should Read

10 books I wish I read before starting up

Light-Mode

Classic

Newspaper

Dark-Mode

Neon Noir

Minty

HN StartUps