2. That sounds within a determined degree of likeness be represented by signs within a determined degree of likeness; whilst sounds beyond a certain degree of likeness be represented by distinct and different signs, _and that uniformly_. 3. That no sound have more than one sign to express it. 4. That no sign express more than one sound. 5. That the primary aim of orthography be to express the sounds of words, and not their histories. 6. That changes of speech be followed by corresponding changes of spelling. With these principles in our mind we may measure the imperfections of our own and of other alphabets. § 149. Previous to considering the sufficiency or insufficiency of the English alphabet, it is necessary to enumerate the elementary articulate sounds of the language. The vowels belonging to the English language are the following _twelve_:-- 1. That of a in _father_. 7. That of e -- _bed_. 2. -- a -- _fat_. 8. -- i -- _pit_. 3. -- a -- _fate_. 9. -- ee -- _feet_. 4. -- aw -- _bawl_. 10. -- u -- _bull_. 5. -- o -- _not_. 11. -- oo -- _fool_. 6. -- o -- _note_. 12. -- u -- _duck_. The diphthongal sounds are _four_. 1. That of ou in _house_. 2. -- ew -- _new_. 3. -- oi -- _oil_. 4. -- i -- _bite_. This last sound being most incorrectly expressed by the single letter i. The consonantal sounds are, 1. the two semivowels; 2. the four liquids; 3. fourteen out of the sixteen mutes; 4. ch in _chest_, and j in _jest_, compound sibilants; 5. ng, as in _king_; 6. the aspirate h. In all, twenty-four. 1. w as in _wet_. 13. th as in _thin_. 2. y -- _yet_. 14. th -- _thine_. 3. m -- _man_. 15. g -- _gun_. 4. n -- _not_. 16. k -- _kind_. 5. l -- _let_. 17. s -- _sin_. 6. r -- _run_. 18. z -- _zeal_. 7. p -- _pate_. 19. sh -- _shine_. 8. b -- _ban_. 20. z -- _azure, glazier_. 9. f -- _fan_. 21. ch -- _chest_. 10. v -- _van_. 22. j -- _jest_. 11. t -- _tin_. 23. ng -- _king_. 12. d -- _din_. 24. h -- _hot_.