In every word there are as many syllables as there are distinct sounds, or separate impulses of the voice; as, gram-ma-ri-an.

A word of one syllable is called a monosyllable; a word of two syllables, a dissyllable; a word of three syllables, a trissyllable; and a word of four or more syllables, a polysyllable.

Every vowel, except w, may form a syllable of itself; but the consonants belong to the vowels or diphthongs; and without a vowel no syllable can be formed.

DIPHTHONGS AND TRIPHTHONGS.

A diphthong is two vowels joined in one syllable; as, ea in beat, ou in sound.  In oe or ae, old or foreign, the characters often unite.

A proper diphthong is a diphthong in which both the vowels are sounded; as, oi in voice, ow in vow.

An improper diphthong is a diphthong in which only one of the vowels is sounded; as, oa in loaf, eo in people.

A triphthong is three vowels joined in one syllable; as, eau in beau, iew in view, oeu in manoeuvre.

A proper triphthong is a triphthong in which all the vowels are sounded; as, uoy in buoy.

An improper triphthong is a triphthong in which only one or two of the vowels are sounded; as, eau in beauty, iou in anxious.  The diphthongs in English are twenty-nine; embracing all but six of the thirty-five possible combinations of two vowels:  aa, ae, ai, ao, au, aw, ay,—­ea, ee, ei, eo, eu, ew, ey,—­ia, ie, (ii,) io, (iu, iw, iy,)—­oa, oe, oi, oo, ou, ow, oy,—­ua, ue, ui, uo, (uu, uw,) uy.

Ten of these diphthongs, being variously sounded, may be either proper or improper; to wit, ay,—­ie,—­oi, ou, ow,—­ua, ue, ui, uo, uy.

The proper diphthongs appear to be thirteen; ay,—­ia, ie, io,—­oi, ou, ow, oy,—­ua, ue, ui, uo, uy:  of which combinations, only three, ia, io, and oy, are invariably of this class.

The improper diphthongs are twenty-six; aa, ae, ai, ao, au, aw, ay,—­ea, ee, ei, eo, eu, ew, ey,—­ie,—­oa, oe, oi, oo, ou, ow,—­ua, ue, ui, uo, uy.

The only proper triphthong in English is uoy, as in buoy, buoyant, buoyancy; unless uoi in quoit may be considered a parallel instance.

The improper triphthongs are sixteen; awe, aye,—­eau, eou, ewe, eye,—­ieu, iew, iou,—­oeu, owe,—­uai, uaw, uay, uea, uee.

SYLLABICATION.

In dividing words into syllables, we are to be directed chiefly by the ear; it may however be proper to observe, as far as practicable, the following rules.

RULE I.—­CONSONANTS.