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From the INTRODUCTION. In all languages possessing a well developed expiratory accent there is found a tendency to weaken the syllables which stand on the lower stages of accentuation. The energy devoted to the production of the syllable on which the principle accent rests makes necessary a reduction in the force of the expiration of the other syllables of the word. The vowels of these syllables then show a loss of sonority; and are liable to be reduced to that quality which demands the least amount of expiratory force for their articulation. Only that part is left which is absolutely necessary for the existence of the syllable. Or, in other cases, the reduction may go still farther. Then the weaker syllables disappear entirely; the energy once expended on their production goes to swell the stress given to the more highly accented syllables, and they lose their independent existence. To observe the effect of these tendencies, we have only to compare a language with a chromatic-or musical-accent with one possessing a strong expiratory stress. In the former, all the vowels are articulated distinctly and generally preserved through long periods of development; in the latter, they are first reduced in force, their articulation is slurred or hasty, and they often disappear entirely. For example, in ancient Greek, which had undoubtedly a tone-accent, there are almost no examples of the syncope of unaccented vowels. The only cases of loss are due to the subsequent contraction of two vowels standing in hiatus after the outfall of an intervocal j or w. But in the Teutonic branch, on the other hand, the vowels of the unaccented syllables are constantly weakened; from the earliest period this tendency may be observed, and its operation is unchecked at the present day. In modern English these vowels are continually slurred in pronunciation, and are frequently weakened to the so-called '' irrational'' vowel (the sound of u in but), which is oftentimes a mere voice-glide, without decided articulation.

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