The sound of _y_ in the beginning of words, is, by some writers, called a vowel, but by most of them a consonant. Lowth has asserted, that it has every property of a vowel and not one of a consonant. Sheridan considers _y_ in _youth_, _year_, &c. as the short _ee_. But if these writers would attend to the manner in which we pronounce _yes_, _ye_, they would acknowlege that _y_ has some property different from _ee_; for it is very evident that they are not pronounced _ee-es_, _ee-e_. The fact is, that in the American pronunciation of _y_, the root of the tongue is pressed against the upper part of the mouth, above the palate, more closely than it is in pronouncing _ee_, and not so closely as in pronouncing _g_ hard. The transition however from _y_ to _ee_ or to _g_, is extremely easy, and hence the mistake that _y_ is short _ee_, as also the convertibility of _y_ with _g_.[J] It appears to me that _y_ in the beginning of words, is more clearly a consonant than _w_.
In many words, _i_ has the power of _y_ consonant; particularly after _l_ and _n_; as _filial_, _union_.
The vowels therefore in English are all heard in the following words; late, half, hall, feet, pool, note, tun, fight, truth. The five first have short sounds or duplicates; which may be heard in let, hat, hot, fit, pull; and the letters _i_ and _u_ are but accidentally vowels. The pure primitive vowels in English are therefore seven.
The dipthongs may be heard in the following words; lie or defy, due, voice or joy, round or now. To these we may add _ua_ in _persuade_; and perhaps the combinations of w and the vowels, in _well_, _will_, &c.
The consonants in English are nineteen; but for want of proper characters, five of them are expressed or marked by double letters. We annex two sounds to _th_; one to _sh_; one to _ng_; and one to _si_ or _su_, as may be heard in the following words; think, this, shall, bring, confusion or pleasure. These characters should be called _eth_, _esh_, _eng_, _ezh_; and _th_ should have two names, the aspirate as in _think_, and the vocal as in _this_; the latter sound might be distinguished by a small mark drawn thro _th_. This improvement is so obvious and easy, and would be so convenient for the learners of the language, that I must believe it will soon be introduced.