ELOCUTION. Elocution is the art of managing the voice, countenance, and gesture in speaking, so as to express the thought, sentiment, or emotion intended to be expressed, distinctly, and in the most pleasing, appropriate, and effective manner. The qualifications necessary to enable the reader or speaker to bring out the sense and sentiment of discourse in a pleasing and impressive manner are: First.-A full and correct understanding and appreciation of the meaning and the sentiment of the language spoken. Second. A clear, full, flexible, and resonant voice of more than ordinary compass. Third. A distinct articulation and a correct pronunciation. Fourth. The speaker should have such a control of his voice as to be able to vary its modulations in pitch, force, stress, quantity, and quality at pleasure. He will then be able readily to give those tones and modulations that are most appropriate to the natural expression of the thought or feeling. Fifth. In recitation or declamation he must be able to enter into the spirit of the piece, and deliver it as if expressing his own thoughts and sentiments. Sixth. He must be able to adapt his manner of delivery to the kind of piece or the subject, and to the character and spirit of his discourse, and, when necessary, to rapidly change his tone, position, action and facial expression. Seventh. A thorough, practical knowledge of the elementary sounds is the most essential condition of good articulation. This course of instruction will, therefore, commence with information concerning the elementary sounds, and with simple, practical exercises on words and upon such short passages as are best calculated not only to give the student the necessary knowledge concerning these sounds, but also to strengthen his voice, improve its quality, increase its compass, resonance, and flexibility, and to give him, from the first, practical exercises in emphasis and expression, and clear ideas of the conditions on which they depend. ELEMENTARY SOUNDS. The elementary sounds of the English language are classified under three great divisions: First, the Vocals; Second, the Subvocals; Third, the Aspirates. VOCALS. The vocal sounds form the basis of the English language, and should therefore be perfectly familiar to all who speak it. The vocals are divided into Monothongs and Diphthongs. Monothongs have the same sound from the commencement to the close. Diphthongs begin with one sound and end with another. Monothongs are also divided into the single open vocals and the short vocals. When an open vocal unites in a syllable with a subvocal, neither of the elements retains exactly the same sound it has when given separately. An open vowel admits of greater quantity and more musical expression before a subvocal than before an aspirate. No vowel has the fullness and melody, when united with an aspirate, that it has when united with a subvocal or when given alone. When a short vowel is united with an explodent aspirate sound, it is slightly changed from the one it has when united with a subvocal sound. The shades of difference between some of the vowels are so very slight that only a practiced ear can perceive them. |