AMERICAN

S-PELLING-BOOK,

DESIGN E D

For the Use of our common Schools ; and
as an eafy Introduction to the Art of
fpelling and reading the Englif

Language with Propriety.

IN TWO PA R T S.

PART THE FIRST. PART SECOND.
Containing easy and famil. To contain Words more

iar Words, divided, ac difficult and irregular ;
cented, and methodically accented ; their proper
arranged, agreably to Sounds pointed out, and
their proper Sounds, with the various Significations
Leffons of Reading in ranged (generally) in one
terspersed.

Line: With infiredive
and entertaining reading
Lefons; and the molt
useful Parts of Grammar,

COMPILED BY ASA RHOADS.

The second Edition, corrected, and improved,

with fome Addicions.

STANFORD (State of New York)
PRINTED BY DANTEL LAWRENCE,

1802.

Edue T 758.02,730

✓
RECOMMENDATION.

of ni

AVING, with care and attention, examined

the manuscript copy of the following fpelling-book, designed as an easy introduction to the knowledge of the English language in our common schools, I am pleased with the plan and the execution of it. As far as I can judge, it avoids the faults, and comprises the excellencies of every work

nhiect, which has come to my knowledge,

uld not be understood to assert, that, in'i

the work is perfect. Every work

s limperfections. The English language

in various respects, capable of great improverent. Its orthography admits of many and great amendments; and its pronunciation is fluce tuating, and has not yet been reduced to any complete lystem of rules. Every judicious attempt to improve its orthography, and fix a standard for its pronunciation, delerves encouragement. In this view, as well as in others, I cannot but recom. mend this work. The Author appears to have ftudied the Englith language with diligence and fuccefs, to understand his subject, and to have fpared no pains to render his work useful, and deferving of public patronage and euc uragement, That it may answer his benevolent intentions, in facilitating, both to masters and scholars, the im, portant business of instruction in our common Ichools, is my ardent wilh.

EBENEZER FITCII, Prefident

of Williams College,

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRAZY
Williamitown

GIFT OF THE
Sept. 22d. 1797

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATIQ%

MAY 19 1926

INTRODUCTION.
HE English Language is formed of twenty-

fix single characters, all representing certain founds, except the asperate h, which only gives form to a succeeding sound.

The names of these characters are, a be fe de e ef ge aytch i ja ka el em en o pe cu er es te yu ve double yu eks wi ze. Of which a eiou and w, are vowels, and the rest are consonants.

6

A vowel is a complete fimple found of is formed without a contact of this tongue with the mouth.

But a consonant forms no perfect found without the afstance of a vowel, and therefore requires a contact of the parts of the mouth.

A diphthong is a union of two fimple founds, pronounced by a fingle impulse of the voice, as oy in boy, and ou in loud.

The letters i and y are either vowels or consonants. They have both the same sound in different words and different, fituations. In the words bind, pin, duty, Egypt, i and y are vowels.

I and y, when they begin a word or fyllable, are consonants ; in this situation they have a sound which is formed by a contact of the tongue and the upper part of the mouth, as in famil iar, youth.

As the same vowels have various sounds in different words, that is, long, short, broad, &c. for the reader's assistance in the approved pronunciation, I would recommend to his attention the following scheme, which I call the Index or Key, in which the different sounds of the vowels are represented.