* By Exceptional sounds are here meant, as will be observed, those not included in the classes already treated of, and illustrated, as Regu lar and Occasional. Here is the proper place to bring up in review all the various vowel sounds,-Regular, Occasional, and Exceptional, and to make the distinctions indicated by these terms perfectly familiar. *The letter e, when final, is always silent, except in monosyllables containing no other vowel (as he, we, me), some classical words (as sim' i le), and some words from modern foreign languages. In a monosyllable, however, and in a syllable under the accent, though silent itself, its effect generally is to lengthen a preceding vowel; as măd, māde; not, nōte. |