Establishment for the study of vocal physiology : for the correction of stammering, and other defects of utterance; and for practical instruction in "visible speech." / Conducted by Alexr. Graham Bell.

  • Alexander Graham Bell
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Establishment for the study of vocal physiology : for the correction of stammering, and other defects of utterance; and for practical instruction in "visible speech." / Conducted by Alexr. Graham Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    I should be loath to say that Mr. Melville Bell's scientific system of alpha- betics admits of no improvement (it would be strange if it did not) ; but it has all the present appearance, on the one hand, of satisfying the wants of science, and, on the other, of fulfilling the demands of practice. Mr. Melville Bell, in forming an alphabet, rejected all existing alphabets. They were all formed on very imperfect knowledge, or superficial obser- vation. He applied himself directly to the organs of speech, with which his long practice as a corrector of the defects of utterance had rendered him familiar in all their relations. The different forms of the glottis, the different modes of driving the air from the lungs and the passages it traversed, the various ways of altering or modifying the positions assumed by the organs of speech, first engaged his attention; and the skill with which he has hit upon the general modifica- tions is one of the most remarkable parts of his system, leading to a series of diacritic symbols of universal applicability, giving an almost unlimited power of expressing shades of sound and peculiarities of utterance, without loading the memory of the reader with an impossible variety of literal forms. Next came the consideration of the vowels; and their treatment is at once complete and original. The size and shape of the aperture allowed for the passage of vocalized breath forms the basis of the arrangement; and the re- lations of the apertures thus formed, with their modifications at either ex- tremity, labial and pharyngeal, give a philosophic, and, indeed, musical scheme of the relations of the vowel-sounds. ' The power thus obtained of showing by the very form of the symbol how to produce the vowel-sound, is really astonishing to those whose study of vowel-sounds has shown them the extreme difficulty of conceiving the method of uttering or imitating them when spoken. So perfect is the present arrangement, that a simple name is given to each vowel heard, depending entirely on the shape and modification of the wind- passage, by which its power is conveyed with ease to those who have been properly instructed in the meaning of the words employed. The numerous examples which Mr. Melville Bell and his sons gave me of , the facility with which delicate distinctions in English pronunciation, — as, for example, between the vowels in shun and men/ion, nest and goodness, principle, principal, and principality,— and difficult Scotch and Irish dia- lectic vowels, could be symbolized and understood, were most interesting and satisfactory. No approach to such a perfection of analysis and symboliza- tion of the vowels has yet fallen under my notice. Lastly came the conso- nants ; and here, too, although they have been generally much better under- stood than the vowels, the treatment is very original, and apparently ex- haustive. I need only allude to the method of marking the po.-ition and shape of the tongue with respect to the palate, and the general modifications whereby the great variety of consonants thus formed is reduced to a rational and intelligible order. Nor must I omit to mention the mode of indicating glide-sounds, during which the organs change their position, and which, therefore, assume a kind of middle place between consonants and vowels.
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