McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader Part 2

III. INFLECTIONS.

Inflections are slides of the voice upward or downward. Of these, there are two: the rising inflection and the falling inflection.

The Rising Inflection is that in which the voice slides upward, and is marked thus ('); as,

Did you walk'? Did you walk.

The Falling Inflection is that in which the voice slides downward, and is marked thus ('); as,

I did not walk'. I did not walk.

Both inflections are exhibited in the following question:

Did you walk' or ride'? walk or ride.

In the following examples, the first member has the rising and the second member the falling inflection:

EXAMPLES.[1]

Is he sick', or is he well'?

Did you say valor', or value'?

Did you say statute', or statue'?

Did he act properly', or improperly'?

[Footnote 1: These questions and similar ones, with their answers, should be repeatedly p.r.o.nounced with their proper inflection, until the distinction between the rising and falling inflection is well understood and easily made by the learner. He will be a.s.sisted in this by emphasizing strongly the word which receives the inflection, thus. Did you RIDE' or did you WALK'?]

In the following examples, the inflections are used in a contrary order, the first member terminating with the falling and the second with the rising inflection:

EXAMPLES.

He is well', not sick'.

I said value', not valor'.

I said statue', not statute'.

He acted properly', not improperly'.

FALLING INFLECTIONS.

Rule VI.--The falling inflection is generally proper wherever the sense is complete.

EXAMPLES.

Truth is more wonderful than fiction'.

Men generally die as they live'.

By industry we obtain wealth'.

REMARK.--Parts of a sentence often make complete sense in themselves, and in this case, unless qualified or restrained by the succeeding clause, or unless the contrary is indicated by some other principle, the falling inflection takes place according to the rule.

EXAMPLES

Truth is wonderful', even more so than fiction'.

Men generally die as they live' and by their actions we must judge of their character'.

Exception.--When a sentence concludes with a negative clause, or with a contrast or comparison (called also ant.i.thesis), the first member of which requires the falling inflection, it must close with the rising inflection.

(See Rule XI, and paragraph 2, Note.)

EXAMPLES.

No one desires to be thought a fool'.

I come to bury' Caesar, not to praise' him.

He lives in England' not in France'.

REMARK.--In bearing testimony to the general character of a man we say:

He is too honorable' to be guilty of a vile' act.

But if he is accused of some act of baseness, a contrast is at once inst.i.tuted between his character and the specified act, and we change the inflections, and say:

He is too honorable' to be guilty of such' an act.

A man may say in general terms:

I am too busy' for projects'.

But if he is urged to embark in some particular enterprise, he will change the inflections, and say:

I am too busy' for projects'.

In such cases, as the falling inflection is required in the former part by the principle of contrast and emphasis (as will hereafter be more fully explained), the sentence necessarily closes with the rising inflection.

Sometimes, also, emphasis alone seems to require the rising inflection on the concluding word. See exception to Rule VII.

(5.-2.)

STRONG EMPHASIS.

RULE VII.--Language which demands strong emphasis generally requires the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. Command or urgent entreaty; as,