Consonants of the english language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Consonants of the english language - Essay Example hangeable, more stable, the law of their mutations is more con ­stant, or at least better ascertained, and they frequently re ­main fixed in the written language, after they have been lost or changed in sound. Hence, in researches into the history of language they are of cardinal importance, and consequently have almost exclusively en ­gaged the attention of etymologists, while, on the other hand, their supposed permanence, immutability and distinctness of character have led them to be much neglected. But in fact, consonants are very far from being so well discriminated. It is true that their differences are generally more easily appreciated by the ear, though less easily imitated by the tongue, than those between vowels. The indistinct articulation of consonants in Danish, the con ­founding of the hard and soft sounds of g in some dialects of Arabic, and of I and r in the Polynesian islands, the sep ­aration in Italian and Spanish of consonants are united in English consonants. As a result the words often lose all resemblance from which they originated, and it is the suppression or change of consonants that disguises them. (Ladefoged Peter, 1988 p. 123) Chasm and other words of similar ending are popularly pronounced as dissyllables, and in blossom, be-torn, bosom, and chrisom introduced a written vowel. The consonant m does not readily unite even with a preced ­ing liquid, and hence the vulgar pronunciation ellutn, helium, for rim, helm, and the word alarum for alarm. It is perhaps in this reluctance of m to be linked with a preceding liquid, and the explanation of the suppression of the I balm, calm, and other words of similar ending are found. (Ladefoged Peter, 1988 p. 142) If we talk about the formation of consonants we should point out that sounds are made by modifying an airstream. There are many points at which that stream of air can be modified. Producing a consonant sound depends on the position of vocal folds, they are either opened or closed. If

Group Minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Group Minds - Essay Example However, the fact of life is that all individuals live their life in a group. There are very few people who appreciate to live a solitary life as numerous cannot stand solitude for long. Majority of the people are group animals, even if they fail to recognize it and this is what creates problem i.e. the failure to understand the social law that governs the group and thus that governs us. It is undeniable that the ideas and opinion of an individual belonging to a certain group is influenced by the opinion of that group. It is a tough task to maintain individuality against group opinion. Psychologist and sociologists have carried out various experiments to exhibit that usually the individuals are influenced by the opinion of the group and give up their opinion because the opinion of the majority in-group does not agree with them. People who have experienced this scenario agree that it is a shameful memory of theirs that they gave up their opinion under the influence of the group. It is important to realize this and various other mechanisms of human behavior so that in future we just do not limit our self to collection of information about ourselves but use it to improve our life and situation and free people from blind loyalties and obedience (Lessing,