INTRODUCTION. ELOCUTION. PRINCIPLES, RULES, EXERCISES. ELOCUTION is the delivery, or expression, of thought by means of speech. Good Elocution requires distinct articulation, correct pronunciation, and proper inflections, emphasis, pauses, and tones. [The principles of articulation and pronunciation, with the rules and exercises requisite to apply them, having been copiously treated in the preceding numbers of this series, are only briefly mentioned in the present volume.] INFLECTION. INFLECTIONS are turns or slides of the voice, used in reading or speaking; as, Will you remain or depart? The Rising Inflection is an upward turn or slide of the voice, used when the voice ends higher than it begins; as, Are you going home'? The Falling Inflection is a downward turn or slide of the voice, used when the voice ends lower than it begins; as, When are you going' ? The rising inflection is denoted by the acute accent, thus ( ́); and the falling inflection, by the grave accent, thus (`). The Circumflex indicates the union of the rising and falling inflections on the same word. When the Circumflex begins with the rising and ends with the falling inflection, it is denoted thus (~); and when it begins with the falling and ends with the rising inflection, it is denoted thus (~); as, Can the dove live with the hawk ? RULES FOR INFLECTION. The Falling Inflection is required, 1. When the sense is completed, as at a semicolon or period. 2. In asking an indirect question, or one that can not be answered by yes or no; as, Whom did you see' ? 3. In expressing a command, or in an exclamation. The Rising Inflection is required, 1. In asking a direct question, or one that can be answered by yes or no; as, Did you see him' ? But in repeating a call, the falling 2. In addressing or calling. inflection may be used; as, John'! John'! 3. The Circumflex Inflection is used in expressing ridicule, scorn, or surprise. EXERCISES. [Give the inflection as marked, and state the rule that applies to each case.] 1. Blessed are the pure in heart'; for they shall see God'. 2. Virtue exalts a nation'; but sin is a reproach to any people'. 3. Where are you going'? When will you return' ? 4. Go to the ant', thou sluggard'; consider her ways, and be wise'. 5. Ring the bells' ! Fire the cannon'! Hurrah'! Hurrah! 6. John'! John'! Will you bring in some wood'? 7. What! sell honor to purchase remorse? 8. Do you think your hands were made to strike'? No'. To push' No. To scratch? No. To pinch'? No. To fight'? No'. To take things that do 9. Will they do it'? not belong to you'? Dare they do it'? J By no means'. Who is speaking'? What's the news'? God grant they won't refuse'! 10. Sink' or swim', live' or die', survive' or perish', I give my hand and heart to this vote. 11. Is not the man who is furiously bent on calumny a scorpion? Is not the person who is eagerly set on resentment and revenge a most venomous viper? What do you say of a covetous man? Is he not a ravenous wolf? MONOTONE. MONOTONE is the utterance of successive syllables on one unvaried key or tone of voice. It is employed in the delivery of passages that are expressive of awe, reverence, or sublimity. EXERCISES. 1. When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the mōōn ānd thē stārs which Thōū hāst ōrdāined, what is man that Thōu ārt mindfūl ōf hīm, ānd thē sōn ōf man that Thōu vīsītēst him? 2. Mountains! who was your Builder? Whō laid yōūr āwful fōundātiōns in thē central fires, and pīlēd yōūr rōcks and snōwcapped summīts āmōng the clōūds? I know who built you. It wās GōD! EMPHASIS. Emphasis is the distinguishing of a particular word, or words, of a sentence by stress of the voice, inflection, or pause. Upon the proper placing of the emphasis depends not only the meaning of what is read or spoken, but the life and spirit of its delivery. In order to determine the proper emphasis to be given, the reader or speaker must himself thoroughly comprehend the ideas and feelings to be expressed. Without this, no rule can be correctly applied. Emphasis is either absolute or antithetic. It is absolute when it depends upon the importance of a particular idea without direct reference to any other. It is antithetic when it depends upon the comparison or contrast of one thought or fact with another. |