31 examples of semivowels in sentences

Not because it is a great thing, to distinguish consonants from vowels, and afterwards divide them into semivowels and mutes; but because, to those who enter the interior parts of this temple of science, there will appear in many things a great subtilty, which is fit not only to sharpen the wits of youth, but also to exercise the loftiest erudition and science."De

Prat's Latin Grammar, (an elaborate octavo, all Latin, published in London, 1722,) nine of the consonants are reckoned mutes; b, c, d, g, p, q, t, j, and v; and eight, semivowels; f, l, m, n, r, s, x,

"The semivowels, beginning with e, end in themselves; as, ef, ach, el, em, en, er, es, ex, (or, as Priscian will have it, ix,) eds."

The consonants are divided, with respect to their powers, into semivowels and mutes.

A semivowel is a consonant which can be imperfectly sounded without a vowel, so that at the end of a syllable its sound may be protracted; as, l, n, z, in al, an, az.

The semivowels are, f, h, j, l, m, n, r, s, v, w, x, y, z, and c and g soft: but w or y at the end of a syllable, is a vowel; and the sound of c, f, g, h, j, s, or x, can be protracted only as an aspirate, or strong breath.

Four of the semivowels,l, m, n, and r,are termed liquids, on account of the fluency of their sounds; and four others,v, w, y, and z,are likewise more vocal than the aspirates.

Aristotle, three hundred and thirty years before Christ, divided the Greek letters into vowels, semivowels, and mutes, and declared that no syllable could be formed without a vowel.

To be consistent, the attempters of this reformation should never speak of vowels or consonants, semivowels or mutes; because they judge the terms inappropriate, and the classification absurd.

They should therefore adhere strictly to their "tonics, subtonics, and atonics;" which classes, though apparently the same as vowels, semivowels, and mutes, are better adapted to their new and peculiar division of these elements.

But these last-named classes are not of much importance; nor have I thought it worth while to notice minutely the opinions of writers respecting the others, as whether h is a semivowel, or a mute, or neither.

What is a semivowel?

What letters are reckoned semivowels?

I have shown also, that the sounds of all the other vowels, and of the consonant semivowels, may be prolonged to what degree we please; but at the same time it is to be observed, that all these may also be reduced to a short quantity, and are capable of being uttered in as short a space of time as those which are naturally short.

The syllable man has two semivowels; and the letter l, as in "ful fil´," is the most sonorous of consonants; yet, as we see above, among their false examples of short syllables accented, different authors have given the words "man" and "man´ner," "disman´tle" and "com pel´," "mas´ter" and "let´ter," with sundry other sounds which may easily be lengthened.

"The consonants are divided into mutes and semivowels.

e semivowels, namely, l, m, n, and r, are termed LIQUIDS, on account of the fluency of their sounds."See

"The mutes are those consonants whose sounds cannot be protracted; the semivowels have imperfect sounds of their own, which can be continued at pleasure.

OF THE LETTER L. The consonant L, the plainest of the semivowels, has a soft, liquid sound; as in line, lily, roll, follow.

following;) correspondents Asking and exclaiming, simple and appropriate names for the marks of, desirable Aspirates, see Semivowels Asterisk, use of.

N. respecting Self-naming letters Semicolon, point for what purpose used from what takes its name when adopted in England is useful and necessary, though discarded by some late grammarians Rules for the use of Semivowel, defined Semivowels named; nature of w and y; sound of certain, as aspirates Sense and construc.

N. respecting Self-naming letters Semicolon, point for what purpose used from what takes its name when adopted in England is useful and necessary, though discarded by some late grammarians Rules for the use of Semivowel, defined Semivowels named; nature of w and y; sound of certain, as aspirates Sense and construc.

numb.; borrowed first by the Romans from the Greeks, by whom called Ypsilon in Eng. is either a vowel or a conson. classed with the semivowels final, changed or unchanged before terminations do., when, by former practice, retained in verbs ending in y, before conson.

If it be admitted that the two semivowels l and n have vocality enough of their own to form a very feeble syllable, it will prove only that there are these exceptions to an important general rule.

Murray admits that "accent on a semi-vowel" may make the syllable long; and his semivowels are these: "f, l, m, n, r, v, s, z, x, and c and g soft."

31 examples of  semivowels  in sentences