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.
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.
