Chapter CIV: Section II: Figures of Etymology

A Figure of Etymology is an intentional deviation from the ordinary formation of a word. The principal figures of Etymology are eight; namely, _A-phoer'-e-sis, Pros'-the-sis, Syn'-co-pe, A-poc'-o-pe, Par-a-go'-ge, Di-oer'-e-sis, Syn-oer'-e-sis_, and _Tme'-sis_.

EXPLANATIONS.

I. _Aphæresis_ is the elision of some of the initial letters of a word: as, _'gainst_, for _against_; _'gan_, for _began_; _'neath_, for _beneath_; _'thout_, for _without_.

II. _Prosthesis_ is the prefixing of an expletive syllable to a word: as, _a_down, for _down_; _ap_paid, for _paid_; _be_strown, for _strown_; _ev_anished, for _vanished_; _y_clad, for _clad_.

III. _Syn'copè_ is the elision of some of the middle letters of a word: as, _med'cine_, for _medicine_; _e'en_, for _even_; _o'er_, for _over_; _conq'ring_, for _conquering_; _se'nnight_, for _sevennight_.

IV. _Apoc'opè_ is the elision of some of the final letters of a word: as, _tho'_ for _though_; _th'_, for _the_; _t'other_, for _the other_; _thro'_, for _through_.

V. _Parago'gè_ is the annexing of an expletive syllable to a word: as, _Johnny_, for _John_; _deary_, for _dear_; _withouten_, for _without_.

VI. _Diæresis_ is the separating of two vowels that might be supposed to form a diphthong: as, _coöperate_, not _cooperate_; _aëronaut_, not _æronaut_; _or'thoëpy_, not _orthoepy_.

VII. _Synæresis_ is the sinking of two syllables into one: as, _seest_, for _sëest_; _tacked_, for _tack-ed_; _drowned_, for _drown-ed_; _spoks't_, for _spok-est_; _show'dst_, for _show-edst_; _'tis_, for _it is_; _I'll_, for _I will_.

VIII. _Tmesis_ is the inserting of a word between the parts of a compound, or between two words which should be united if they stood together: as, "On _which_ side _soever_."--_Rolla_. "_To_ us _ward_;" "_To_ God _ward_."--_Bible_. "The _assembling_ of ourselves _together_."--_Id._ "With _what_ charms _soe'er_ she will."--_Cowper_. "So _new_ a _fashion'd_ robe."--_Shak._ "Lament the _live_ day _long_."--_Burns_.

OBS.--In all our pronunciation, except that of the solemn style, such verbal or participial terminations as can be so uttered, are usually sunk by _synæresis_ into mere modifications of preceding syllables. The terminational consonants, if not uttered with one vowel, must be uttered with an other. When, therefore, a vowel is entirely suppressed in pronunciation, (whether retained in writing or not,) the consonants connected with it, necessarily fall into an other syllable: thus, _tried, triest, sued, suest, loved, lovest, mov'd, mov'st_, are monosyllables; and _studied, studiest, studi'dst, argued, arguest, argu'dst_, are dissyllables; except in solemn discourse, in which the _e_ is generally retained and made vocal.