CLASSES; LESSONS FOR SPELLING AND DEFINING; DICTATION TION AND THE ANALYSIS OF DERIVATIVE WORDS; TEST OF INSTRUCTION IN THE ORTHOGRAPHY AND OR- BY SALEM TOWN, LL.D., AND NELSON M. HOLBROOK, A.M. AUTHORS OF "THE PROGRESSIVE SERIES OF READERS.' REVISED AND ENLARGED. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY OLIVER ELLSWORTH, No. 73 CORNHILL. EducT 758,69. 198 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY BY EXCHANGE JAN 8 1937 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. PRINTED BY GEORGE C. RAND & AVERY, BOSTON. RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE: ELECTROTYPED BY H. 0. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY. PREFACE. IN preparing this Speller, the authors have endeavored to embrace, in a systematic order, all the subjects which they deem advisable and expedient to introduce into an elementary work of this kind, and to present them in so clear a manner as to be easily understood by the pupil. The orthog raphy and pronunciation of Dr. Webster have been adopted, his system being not only most in accordance with the analogies of our language, but the most philosophic and simple, as well as the most generally received in this country. The words selected for spelling are, for the most part, those used in familiar discourse; while, with some exceptions among the test words, scientific terms and uncommon words of foreign origin have been left to be learned from the Dictionary when the study of the sciences shall make it necessary for the pupil to have a more extended vocabulary. The plan of defining the words spelled is a feature which, we think, must commend itself to every intelligent and unprejudiced mind. Words are of no use to us any further than they are understood; and it would seem that no one, having any just appreciation of this truth, could fail to perceive and acknowledge the superior utility of a Speller in which nearly all of the words selected are, in some way, correctly defined. The words for spelling and defining are alphabetically arranged in columns, and classified according to the parts of speech to which they belong, those in the first column under the brace being defined by those in the second, or by those in the second and third. The mode of defining is the same as that adopted by all lexicographers when single words only are used as definers. Each word is defined by one more simple; and when two definitions are given, the first is generally nearest the primary meaning of the word defined; still, the second, though more remote, may be, in some instances, the more common one. These definers are not always exact synonyms of the words defined, nor are they claimed to be; but they are claimed to be correct definitions of those words, according to the best usage of the language; and they are as reliable, in this respect, as those of any dictionary; and we can not conceive how the pupil can, in either case, be led astray from a correct knowledge of the more common or the particular signification of such words by having them thus defined, as some persons from want of experience have vainly attempted to maintain. It should, however, be borne in mind, that the words in the first column under the brace are not intended to be definers of those in the other columns, although they might, in very many cases, be properly used as such. The Key to Pronunciation, and the tables of Elementary Sounds and Substitutes, will give a more comprehensive and exact knowledge of the subject of orthoepy than can be found even in more elaborate treatises on this important subject. A Table of Unmarked Substitutes, to which reference is made by means of figures, has been carefully prepared, for the purpose of pointing out, in all words which could not be otherwise marked, the nicer orthoepical distinctions, so indispensable to a correct and elegant pronunciation. A large number of words of like or similar pronunciation, but of different meaning and orthography, have not only been defined in the usual way, but further explained by Dictation Exercises. These exercises will be found very beneficial in enabling the pupil to discriminate in the right use and the spelling of words of this kind. But they have not been introduced into other parts of the book except where words have some peculiarity in common either of sound, spelling, or meaning; for we arc at a loss to know how any great benefit can be derived from such exercises (giving as they necessarily must but very imperfect definitions), when the orthography and pronunciation of the words defined are always and everywhere the same; besides,, the large amount of space occupied by them can be devoted to matter more profitable. Various Classes of words under appropriate headings, General Rules for Spelling, and Rules for Forming or Spelling the Plurals of Nouns, are also given, each rule being illustrated by an appropriate exercise in its immediate connection. The Latin and Greek prefixes and suffixes, which contribute to the formation of so many of the words in our language, have been classified and defined; and the analytic method of defining derivative words by means of them has, by copious examples, been clearly exemplified. The student, by acquiring a thorough knowledge of these prefixes and suffixes, will secure a key to the meaning of thousands of words not found in this or any other work of the kind, but which he may encounter in his miscellaneous reading. This will be especially true in regard to scientific and technical terms, so many of which are derived from other languages. In this NEW EDITION of the Progressive Speller, the authors' original plan is more nearly realized. The omissions for want of space in the old edition have been supplied by the addition of TWENTY-FOUR new pages, embracing Test Words for the use of advanced pupils and teachers' classes, an extension of the Rules of Spelling with their illustrations, and other valuable additions. The pronunciation of the words is indicated by the use of the Key-marks in the last revised edition of Dr. Webster's Unabridged American Dictionary, with a few additional marks and reference figures by the authors; and in all respects it is believed to conform to the principles of Dr. Webster's great work now so generally received as standard authority. The two editions may be used in the same classes, with but very little inconvenience, since the lessons of the old edition remain the same. With these additions and improvements, we renewedly give this Speller to the public, feeling confident, that, if teachers pursue the plan here adopted and earnestly recommended, their labors in this department of instruction will be attended with the most satisfactory results. BOSTON, August 3, 1868. THE AUTHORS. |