Ai, an improper diphthong, generally has the sound of open or long a; as in sail, avail, vainly.  In a final unaccented syllable, it sometimes preserves the first sound of a; as in chilblain, mortmain:  but oftener takes the sound of close or short i; as in certain, curtain, mountain, villain.  In said, saith, again, and against, it takes the sound of close or short e; and in the name Britain, that of close or short u.

Ao, an improper diphthong, occurs in the word gaol, now frequently written as it is pronounced, jail; also in gaoler, which may be written jailer; and in the compounds of gaol:  and, again, it is found in the adjective extraordinary, and its derivatives, in which, according to nearly all orthoepists, the a is silent.  The name Pharaoh, is pronounced F=a’r=o.

Au, an improper diphthong, is generally sounded like broad a; as in cause, caught, applause.  Before n and an other consonant, it usually has the sound of grave or middle a; as in aunt, flaunt, gaunt, launch, laundry.  So in laugh, laughter, and their derivatives. Gauge and gauger are pronounced gage and gager, and sometimes written so.

Aw, an improper diphthong, is always sounded like broad a; as in draw, drawn, drawl.

Ay, an improper diphthong, like ai, has usually the sound of open or long a; as in day, pay, delay:  in sayst and says, it has the sound of close or short e.

TRIPHTHONGS BEGINNING WITH A.

Awe is sounded au, like broad a. Aye, an adverb signifying always, has the sound of open or long a only; being different, both in sound and in spelling, from the adverb ay, yes, with which it is often carelessly confounded.  The distinction is maintained by Johnson, Walker, Todd, Chalmers, Jones, Cobb, Maunder, Bolles, and others; but Webster and Worcester give it up, and write “ay, or aye,” each sounded ah-ee, for the affirmation, and “aye,” sounded _=a_, for the adverb of time:  Ainsworth on the contrary has ay only, for either sense, and does not note the pronunciation.

II.  OF THE LETTER B.

The consonant B has but one sound; as in boy, robber, cub. B is silent before t or after m in the same syllable; as in debt, debtor, doubt, dumb, lamb, climb, tomb.  It is heard in subtile, fine; but not in subtle, cunning.

III.  OF THE LETTER C.