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FIRST YEAR'S LATIN COURSE.

INTRODUCTION.

NOTE. The teacher will doubtless deem it advisable to begin with Lesson I., page 15, and to use the introduction for reference.

LATIN ALPHABET.

1. LATIN GRAMMAR treats of the principles of the Latin language.

2. The Latin alphabet is the same as the English, with the omission of w.

3. Letters are divided according to the position of the vocal organs at the time of utterance into two general classes, vowels and consonants, and these classes are again divided into various subdivisions, as seen in the following

1

[blocks in formation]

1 If the vocal organs are sufficiently open to allow an uninterrupted flow of vocal sound, a vowel is produced, otherwise a consonant; but the least open vowels are scarcely distinguishable from the most open con

sonants.

2 In pronouncing the open vowel a as in father, the vocal organs are fully open. By gradually contracting them at one point and another we produce in succession the medial vowels, the close vowels, the semivowels, the nasals, the aspirate, the fricatives, and finally the mutes, in pronouncing which the closure of the vocal organs becomes complete.

3 E is a medial vowel between the open a and the close i; o a medial

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