McGuffey's Eclectic Spelling Book by W. H. McGuffey

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{Transcribers Notes:
Do you remember how to spell "pharmacopoeia" or "Winnipiseogee"? This was
for sixth grade! Here is a chance to expand your vocabulary or just enjoy
a trip to the grade school of 1900.

The original text uses a specialized font to indicate pronunciation.
Italics are used to specify words or syllables in the text. The
approximations given here retain only the emphasis (accent). See the DOC
or PDF format for the original graphics.

Don Kostuch}

ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES.

McGUFFEY'S [Registered]

ECLECTIC

SPELLING-BOOK.

REVISED EDITION.

McGuffey Editions and Colophon are Trademarks of

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

NEW YORK-CHICHESTER-WEINHEIM-BRISBANE-SINGAPORE-TORONTO

PREFACE.
In revising this book, care has been taken to preserve all the excellences
that have so long and so favorably distinguished McGUFFEY'S ECLECTIC
SPELLING-BOOK: and the chief changes that have been made, have been
suggested by the evident plan of the original work.

The old system of indicating the pronunciation by numerals, called
"superiors," has been abandoned, and the diacritical marks used by Webster
have been adopted. The Revised Speller conforms in orthography,
pronunciation, and syllabication to the latest edition of Webster's
Unabridged Dictionary. Exercises have been given on each of the
distinctive marks used in the book, as will be seen by reference to
Lessons 36-57.

A number of lessons have been added in the department of prefixes and
suffixes, and now nearly all the more common of these etymological
principles have been explained. (See Lessons 136-167.) In arranging the
text of the several lessons, the object has been not to appeal merely to
arbitrary memory, but to associate each lesson with some principle of
sound, meaning, or accent, which would tend to aid the pupil in acquiring
a knowledge of our language. Several distinct lessons on pronunciation are
given, and towards the close of the book numerous lessons of difficult
words in orthography have been introduced.

Instead of indicating silent letters by italics, as has hitherto been
done, a new type has been made in which such letters are canceled, thus
enabling the pupil to discover their status at a glance.

The pages have been enlivened, as in the other books of this Series, by
attractive engravings.

The publishers take pleasure in acknowledging the valuable services of
W. B. Watkins, D. D., who planned and executed this revision.
DECEMBER, 1879.

16

Copyright, 1879, by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co.

THE ENGLISH ALPHABET.

The English Alphabet consists of twenty-six letters, viz.:
a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z.

Letters are divided into VOWELS and CONSONANTS.

The Vowels are those letters which can be perfectly sounded without the
aid of any other letter. The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, w, and y.

The vowel sounds of w and y are the same as those of u and i. A, e, and o
are always vowels. I, u, w, and y are sometimes consonants.

A Diphthong is the union of two vowels in one sound. When both vowels are
sounded, the diphthong is called PROPER, because then it is really a
DIPHTHONG, or double sound; that is, the sounds of the vowels unite; as,
oi in oil; ou in sound.

When only one of the vowels is sounded, the diphthong is called IMPROPER,
because then, as one of the vowels is silent, it is not properly a
DIPHTHONG, though it takes that name; as, oa in boat, ui in suit, where a
and i are silent.

The following diphthongs are in common use, viz.: oi, oy, ou, ow, ae, ai,
au, aw, ay, ea, ei, eo, eu, ew, ey, ia, ie, oa, oe, ua, ue, ui; as in
toil, boy, round, plow, seal, coal, head, sail, say, aught, yeoman. Of
these, oi, oy, ou, and ow are generally proper diphthongs; though
sometimes ou and ow are improper, as in famous, where o is silent, and in
slow, where w is silent.

A Triphthong is the union of three vowels in one syllable; as, eau in
beau, iew in view. The triphthong is properly a union of letters, not
sounds.

OF THE VARIOUS SOUNDS.

All the vowels, and some of the consonants, have several sounds; in this
book these sounds are indicated by diacritical marks, as in the following
tables:

TABLE OF VOCALS.
Long Sounds.

Sound as is
----- -----
a ate
a care
a arm
a last
a all
oo fool

e eve
e err
i ice
o ode
u use

Short Sounds.

Sound as is
----- -----
a am
e elm
i in
o odd
u up
oo look

Diphthongs.

oi,oy,as in oil, boy ou,ow, as in out, owl

TABLE OF SUBVOCALS
Sound as is
----- -----
b bib
d did
g gig
j jug
n nine
m maim
ng hang
l lull

v valve
th this
z zinc
zh azure
r rare
w we
y yet

TABLE OF ASPIRATES
Sound as is
----- -----
f fife
h him
k cake
p pipe
s same

t tart
sh she
ch chat
th thick
wh why

NOTE.--The foregoing forty-four sounds are those most employed in the
English language. Some of these sounds are represented by other letters,
as shown in the following table. For further instruction concerning the
sounds, see Lessons 36-57.

TABLE OF SUBSTITUTES.
Sound for as in
----- --- -----
a o what
e a there
e a feint
i e police
i e sir
o u son
o oo to
o oo wolf
o a fork
o e work
u oo full
u e burn
u oo rude
y i fly

y i myth
c k can
c s cite
ch sh chaise
ch k chaos
g j gem
n ng ink
s z as
s sh sure
x gz exact
gh f laugh
ph f phlox
qu k pique[1]
qu kw quit

[Footnote 1: The u is canceled in this book when qu is sounded like k.]

W, in its vowel sounds, corresponds with u; an in new (pro. nu).

A has, in a few words, the sound of e; as in any (pro. en'ny).

U has, in a few words, the sound of e; as in bury (pro. ber'ry); or that
of i, as in busy (pro. biz'y).

OF THE CONSONANTS.

The Consonants are those letters which can not be perfectly sounded
without the aid of a vowel. The consonants are b, c, d, f, g, h, l, k, l,
m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, x, z, and sometimes i, u, w, and y. The consonants
are divided into MUTES and SEMI-VOWELS.

The Mutes are those consonants that admit of no sound without the aid of a
vowel. They are b, d, k, p, q, t, and c and g hard.

The Semi-vowels are those consonants that can be sounded imperfectly by
themselves. They are f, h, j, l, m, n, r, s, v, x, z, and c and g soft.

Four of the semi-vowels are called LIQUIDS; viz., l, m, n, and r. They are
called liquids because they unite so readily with other sounds, or flow
into them.

OF SYLLABLES AND WORDS.

A Syllable is a sound, or a combination of sounds, uttered by a single
impulse of the voice: it may have one or more letters; as
a, bad, bad-ness.

A Word is either a syllable or a combination of syllables; as, not,
notion.

A word of one syllable is called a Monosyllable; as, man.

A word of two syllables is called a Dissyllable; as, manly.

A word of three syllables is called a Trisyllable; as, manliness. Words of
more than three syllables are called Polysyllables.

Accent is a stress of voice placed upon some one syllable more than the
others. Every word composed of two or more syllables has one of them
accented. This accent is denoted by a mark (') at the end of the accented
syllable; as, mid'night, a ban'don.

A Primitive Word is one which is not derived from any other word; as, man,
great, full.

A Derivative Word is one which is formed from some other word by adding
something to it; as, manful, greatness, fully.

A Simple Word is one which is not composed of more than one word; as,
kind, man, stand, ink.

A Compound Word is one that is composed of two or more simple words; as,
ink-stand, wind-mill.

Spelling is naming or writing the letters of a word.

Script Alphabet
[Illustration: The following letter are shown in an ideal hand-written
script.]

CAPITAL LETTERS.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

LOWER-CASE LETTERS.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

THE ALPHABET.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

THE ALPHABET.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

PICTORIAL ALPHABET.

A [Illustration: Axe]
B [Illustration: Boy]
C [Illustration: Cat]
D [Illustration: Dog]
E [Illustration: Elk]
F [Illustration: Fox]
G [Illustration: Girl]
H [Illustration: Hen]
I [Illustration: Ink]
J [Illustration: Jug]
K [Illustration: Kid (Goat)]
L [Illustration: Lark]
M [Illustration: Man]
N [Illustration: Nut]
O [Illustration: Ox]
P [Illustration: Pig]
Q [Illustration: Quail]
R [Illustration: Rat
S [Illustration: Sun]
T [Illustration: Top]
U [Illustration: Urn]
V [Illustration: Vine]
W [Illustration: Wren]
X [Illustration: letter X]
Y [Illustration: Yak]
Z [Illustration: Zebra]

McGUFFEY'S
ECLECTIC SPELLING-BOOK.

Lesson 1.

SHORT SOUNDS OF VOWELS.

Short Sound of A.

am cat gap ban cap
an bad bag can map
as mad gag fan nap
at pad hag pan rap
ax sad lag ran hap
rat gad tag tan jam
sat sap fag van ham

Short Sound of E.

bed den net sell tent
led ken pet nest rent
red men set zest sent
wed wen yet test went
beg jet sex pest felt
leg let fell rest pelt
hen met bell jest melt

Lesson 2.

SHORT SOUNDS OF VOWELS.--CONTINUED.

Short Sound of I.

if rid him sin jig
it lid rim tin rig
is sip fix dig bib
bit tip six fig jib
hit nip din big rib
sit lip pin pig fib

Short Sound of O.

on cob nod box dot
ox job pod hop jot
got rob rod mop lot
cot sob log sop pot
jot cod hog pop rot
lot God dog top not

Short Sound of U.

up mud rum rut gush
us dug sum hung dust
cub mug bun bung must
hub pug dun lung rust
rub tug run sung gust
bud jug sun hulk drum

Lesson 3.

REVIEW OF SHORT SOUNDS OF VOWELS.

man lap pat tap had
fin get ten wet peg
fit dim mix hid his
hot rot fob dot con
rug hum fun hut cut

had fun hug gum flog
den fog dip nag dram
did tub fog bet help
sod hod gun pen lift
lad bet did cog rush

Lesson 4.

Long Sound of A.

date jade came cage bane
late fade dame page lace
mate rate same sage wake

Long Sound of E.

me we she heed weed
fee jeer feed deed deep
feel leer meek keep peep
seek veer beef reel weep

Long Sound of I.

pile dike fire life bide
file like tire rife hide
mile pike sire wife ride

Long Sound of O.

code dolt bone hope dote
node jolt cone pope note
bode molt hone rope vote
rove bolt tone cope hold

Long Sound of U.

lure cube mute lune huge
cure tube duke dune pule
pure lute jute use cue

Lesson 5.

Short Sounds of Vowels.

crab bled chip shot bump
grab fled ship blot lump
drab sled whip spot pump
slab sped slip plot jump
stab then drip trot hump
brag bent spit clog bulk
cram best crib frog just
clan hemp gift plod drug
clad vest king stop shut
dash west grit clod hush

Lesson 6.

Various Vowel Sounds.

bard deal tank dell ill
card veal rank tell bill
hard meal sank well fill
bark neat hank yell rill
dark heat dank belt hill
dint bang dime rave cull
hint fang lime gave dull
lint gang tine lave gull
mint hang fine pave hull
tint rang mine save mull

Lesson 7.

Long Sounds of Vowels.

blaze sneer drive globe dean
craze creed tribe drone bean
shape steep brine stone bead
state sleek spire probe beam
crape fleet bride shore lean
fume smite blame clear mope
spume spite flame drear mold
fluke quite slate blear tore
flume whine spade spear robe
dure spine prate smear poke

Lesson 8.

Various Sounds of Vowels.

clasp small cramp bring moan
grasp stall stamp cling coast
flask fall grand sling toast
graft wall stand swing roast
craft squall lamp thing roach
book boon stork wad pod
good spoon horse was rob
took bloom snort wash rock
foot broom short wast soft
hook stool north what lost

Lesson 9.

Long Sounds of Vowels under the Accent.

fa'tal le'gal lo'cal cu'bit
na'tal re'gal fo'cal du'el
pa'pal re'al vo'cal hu'man
pa'gan pe'nal o'ral u'nit
ba'by ta'per o'val du'ly
la'dy di'al to'tal fu'ry
la'zy tri'al bo'ny ju'ry
ma'zy fi'nal co'ny pu'ny
na'vy vi'tal go'ry pu'pil
ra'cy ri'val ro'sy hu'mid
Sa'tan vi'al po'sy tu'mid

Lesson 10.

Short Sounds of Vowels under the Accent.

al'um el'der civ'il cul'prit
al'to hec'tic dit'ty clum'sy
can'ter helm'et gid'dy dul'cet
mar'ry fen'nel fil'ly fun'nel
ral'ly ken'nel sil'ly gul'ly
nap'kin bel'fry liv'id buck'et
hap'py ed'dy lim'it gus'set
pan'try en'try lim'ber sul'len
ram'mer en'vy riv'et sum'mon
mam'mon test'y lin'en hur'ry
tab'let self'ish mil'let mul'let

Lesson 11.

Various Sounds of A.

care fast charm camp war
mare mast chart damp warp
share cask lard hand warm
spare mask arm land ward
snare past yard sand warn
game scar lake waft fray
lame spar dale raft play
name star gale chaff gray
fame garb cape aft stay
tame barb shame staff bray

Lesson 12.

Various Sounds of A.

dan'ger am'ber lard'er clat'ter
man'ger ban'ter mar'gin flat'ter
quak'er ban'ner ar'dent lat'ter
qua'ver hand'y ar'my mat'ter
dra'per man'na art'ist pat'ter
wa'ger can'cer har'vest tat'ter
fa'vor pan'der par'ty rag'ged
fla'vor tam'per tar'dy rack'et
sa'vor plan'et ar'dor van'ish
ma'jor ham'per car'pet gal'lant
ca'per stam'mer gar'ment pat'tern

Lesson 13.

Various Sounds of E.

sheep ce'dar bet'ter cler'gy
creep fe'ver fet'ter fer'vor
sleep tre'mor let'ter her'mit
sweep ge'nus en'ter mer'cy
speed se'cret ev'er ser'mon
breeze re'bus nev'er ser'pent
teeth se'quel sev'er mer'chant
sneeze se'quence dex'ter ver'bal
breed he'ro mem'ber ver'dict
bleed ze'ro plen'ty per'son
freed se'cant ven'om fer'ment

Lesson 14.

Various Sounds of I.

bird bri'er bib'ber thir'ty
birch ci'der bit'ter thirst'y
chirp mi'ser dif'fer third'ly
flirt spi'der din'ner birch'en
girl vi'per frit'ter chirp'er
shirt cli'ent lit'ter girl'ish
squirm gi'ant riv'er gird'er
squirt i'tem shiv'er stir'less
third i'cy sil'ver first'ly
girt spi'ral in'ner birth'day
gird i'vy liv'er mirth'ful

Lesson 15.

Various Sounds of O.

bro'ker col'ic cor'net worst
clo'ver ton'ic cor'set come
drov'er top'ic or'gan love
gro'cer mor'al sor'did dove
o'ver com'ma tor'pid shoot
o'dor dog'ged form'al moon
so'lar doc'tor for'ty moose
po'lar cop'per lord'ly tooth
pok'er fod'der morn'ing gorge
home'ly fos'ter orb'it most
po'em pon'der mor'tal prop

Lesson 16.

Various Sounds of U.

hu'mor but'ter mur'der pru'dent
ju'ror mut'ter mur'mur fru'gal
tu'mor rud'der tur'ban tru'ly
stu'por shut'ter tur'nip tru'ant
tu'tor suf'fer tur'key cru'et
cu'rate sup'per pur'port bru'in
lu'cid mum'my curl'y dru'id
stu'dent mus'ket fur'ry ru'in
stu'pid num'ber fur'nish ru'by
lu'nar nut'meg cur'vet bru'tal
tu'mult stut'ter bur'den gru'el

Lesson 17.

Various Sounds of the Vowels.

June furl husk from halt
dupe hurl musk pomp malt
tune turn rusk romp salt
flute churn stung long waltz
plume hurt pluck song swan
glue curl drunk strong wasp
droop deck chill for sheath
gloom neck drill corn shell
loop next quill fork shorn
hoof text skill form shout
roof desk spill sort shrub
proof nest frill torch shrug

Lesson 18.

Words Accented on the last Syllable.

a wake' be hest' be hind' re cede'
be came' be set' be side' con crete'
be have' ca det' be tide' com pete'
be take' de fend' de rive' se crete'
e late' de pend' re cite' con cede'
per vade' re pel' re tire' con vene'
for sake' at tend' re vile' im pede'
a bate' con sent' re mise' re plete'
cre ate' im pend' re vive' un seen'
es tate' im pel' con nive' su preme'
re late' com pel' ex cite' re lease'

Lesson 19.

be rate' a bode' ex pire' a cute'
a pace' a lone' con fide' a buse'
re bate' a tone' con fine' con fuse'
de bate' af ford' con spire' de duce'
de face' ca jole' po lite' de lude'
de fame' de pose' re cline' ma ture'
se date' com pose' re fine' pol lute'
col late' en force' re pine' pro cure'
re gale' en robe' re quire' re buke'
em pale' ex plore' re spire' re duce'
en gage' ex pose' u nite' se clude'
en rage' im port' en twine' se cure'

Lesson 20.

blade plash bream dress twine
glade clash cream swim blind
grade crash dream spend grind
shade smash gleam speck spike
trade trash steam fresh smile
skate slash stream whelp while
brisk drove blush cheap carve
quilt grove flush peach farce
filth stove slush teach parse
pinch clove brush reach barge
flinch smote crush bleach large
mince store thrush glean snarl

Lesson 21.

ab'bey rec'ord pit'y col'ter
ab'bot check'er dis'tant fo'cus
atom ed'it din'gy glo'ry
ash'es lev'el diz'zy lo'cust
cap'tor meth'od fin'ish mo'ment
car'rot splen'did gim'let po'tent
cav'il ves'per spir'it co'gent
ehap'ter west'ern tim'id do'tage
chat'tel bed'lam pig'gin no'ted
fath'om des'pot tin'sel stor'age
gal'lon ren'der tip'pet sto'ry
gal'lop tem'pest wit'ness pro'test

Lesson 22.

shake chose march pine oil
snake prose parch wild moil
baste those starch mild coil
haste froze larch tile foil
taste force lark slide soil
paste porch stark glide toil
bunch broth prism spent boy
hunch cloth sixth fence coy
lunch froth stint hence hoy
punch moth smith pence joy
plump botch whist thence toy
stump stock midst whence cloy

Lesson 23.

Monosyllables miscellaneously arranged.

free clip shelf quest shine
spin hate chide flax wore
shad tape fringe still think
band race clock trim marsh
pack mire cheek door booth
bath kite full clung wince
dock bank frock loft spray
gold fell troop pulp join
pipe pink glass grape friz
club hilt lurk pose brow
shop last cloud zest grace

Lesson 24.

Words in which the final e is silent.

ca'ble nee'dle rab'ble bub'ble
fa'ble Bi'ble sam'ple bun'dle
ga'ble ti'tle sim'ple crum'ble
sa'ble ri'fle tem'ple muf'fle
sta'ble no'ble dim'ple muz'zle
cra'dle fick'le fid'dle pud'dle
la'dle am'ple kin'dle ruf'fle
ma'ple ap'ple lit'tle tum'ble
sta'ple baffle bot'tle pur'ple
bee'tle bat'tle cob'ble cir'cle
fee'ble cat'tle fond'le sad'dle

Lesson 25.

an'gel ab'sent bish'op blun'der
ba'sis ac'rid big'ot blus'ter
ca'ter blank'et bil'let cus'tom
fla'grant clas'sic blis'ter cut'ler
fra'grant crag'gy cin'der cut'ter
has'ty dam'sel crick'et sum'mer
ha'tred dan'dy fif'ty sun'der
la'bel fab'ric fil'let shud'der
pa'tent fam'ish lim'pid thun'der
sa'cred fran'tic pil'fer tum'bler
state'ment lath'er pil'lar ul'cer
va'cate lav'ish print'er un'der

Lesson 26.

DICTATION EXERCISES.

NOTE TO TEACHERS.--These lessons are intended as exercises in the meaning
as well as the spelling of words. Distinguish carefully words of similar
sound, but which differ in their spelling. At the recitation the sentences
should be read aloud by the teacher, and the pupils required to write them
out neatly and correctly upon their slates or on the blackboard.

He ate seven or eight apples. Send the pale maid with the pail of milk.
He owed for the paper on which he wrote an ode to the moon. We are not
quite ready for the quiet man. Age gives edge to wine. He said the idol
looked like a satyr. Clever satire often rouses the idle.

Lesson 27.

Sounds of ai, ou, ow, and ea,

paid bound cow cheat head
grain found how treat dead
staid ground town beast stead
waif hound growl bleat tread
rail mound clown preach dread
flail pound frown speak thread
quail round crown streak sweat
snail sound drown feast death

Lesson 28.

Dissyllables with short Sounds of Vowels.

ad'age fren'zy bick'er blos'som
bal'last emp'ty crit'ic cot'ton
bant'ling gen'try dig'it com'ic
can'to mer'it flim'sy drop'sy
ras'cal men'tal flip'pant flor'id
las'so sher'iff frig'id frol'ic
an'tic ten'dril in'fant gos'pel
sad'ness vel'lum in'gress gos'sip
sal'ver vel'vet in'mate hor'rid
sand'y nec'tar in'quest jol'ly
mag'got ves'try in'sect rock'et

Lesson 29.

Trisyllables with short Sounds of the Vowels.

bal'co ny del'i cate lib'er ate
bar'o ny des'o late lim'i tate
cav'i ty der'o gate im'mo late
fac'ul ty dev'as tate in'di cate
grav'i ty em'u late in'ti mate
mal'a dy hes'i tate in'du rate
van'i ty med'i tate in'vo cate
am'pu tate pet'ri fy ir'ri tate
ab'so lute plen'i tude lit'i gate
al'ti tude rec'ti tude mil'i tate
am'bu lance res'o lute stip'u late

Lesson 30.

Miscellaneous Sounds.

prime swine straw crawl
brawn snore gloss flank
brick charge crow quench
green tinge shark Scotch
chest goose brand thrift
space prow twist flange
crank wealth slice twain
limp screw throb thrice
chess flake soon flesh
finch flash flaw twelve
flung clean loaf scale

Lesson 31.

Long Sounds of I and U, and short Sounds of E and I.

a bide' ac cuse' con tend' ad mit'
a like' im pure' con tent' ad dict'
a live' im pute' in tend' as sist'
a rise' as sume' in tent' com mit'
de cide' com mute' dis sect' con sist'
de file' com mune' de ject' de pict'
de fine' com pute' de test' dis till'
de ride' con clude' de tect' emit'
de sire' con fute' in spect' en list'
di vide' dis pute' ob ject' en rich'
di vine' en dure' re spect' for bid'

Lesson 32.

Silent Letters.

B is silent after m and before t, and p is silent before s. The silent
letters are canceled in this lesson, as they are throughout the book.

lamb numb debt debt'or
comb bomb doubt doubt'ful
tomb crumb psalm sub'tle
dumb thumb pshaw psal'ter

DICTATION EXERCISES ON THE ABOVE.

The lamb is a dumb animal. He climbed the hill to the tomb, but his limbs
became numb. Comb your hair, but do not thumb your book. Bombs are now
commonly called "shells." The debtor, who was a subtle man, doubted his
word, and gave not a crumb of comfort. Take your psalter and select a
joyous psalm. His answer was, "Pshaw!"

Lesson 33.

Sounds of igh, oa, shr, and thr.

nigh load coax shrank thrash
thigh oats hoax shrewd threat
fight boat oath shrift throng
light oak coach shrike throve
flight foal float shrunk thrust
fright goat poach thrill throat
tight soap hoarse three thrum

Lesson 34.

Long and short Sounds of A, and short Sound of E.

gain a bash' dis patch' pre tend'
nail ca bal' dis tract' re flect'
taint ca nal' ex pand' re fresh'
trail cra vat' a bet' re lent'
aim de camp' be deck' re ject'
maim pro tract' be held' re quest'
train re cant' be quest' re bel'
strain re fract' de fect' re gress'
chain re lax' e lect' re press'
paint at tack' e rect' sub ject
quaint at tract' e vent' neg'lect'

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