CHAPTER V. POSITIONED WORD SIGNS. THE best word signs are those which so fully suggest the words which they represent as to tax the memory but slightly such signs as grow out of the words, and such Many as when seen, immediately suggest their word. words are almost wholly spelled by a single line with the contractions of which it is capable, while others require almost as many lines as they have letters. In many long words, syllables may be omitted either from their beginning, middle or end, and still leave the word clearly suggested; as, ac may be omitted from such words as according, accident, account; con from such words as contention, construction, confusion; com from such words as commercial, commandment, complainant; dis from dissension, discussion, dispersion; pro from profuse, protect, propose; per from perspire, persuade, perplex; inter from interfere, interpret, interest; in from instill, inside, incur, increase, inform; un from unfold, unfulfill, under. In all cases in which a beginning syllable is omitted from a word, the word should be written a greater distance from the preceding word, to indicate the omission; the space, the written part of the word and the context will serve to make the clipped word plain. In the following list, the sign, consisting of a single line, or con tracted line, or hook and line, is given in each case at the left of the word for which it stands; the sign represents several words, each dependent on the position in which the sign is written. The words expressed by the signs are arranged in six columns corresponding with the six positions, viz: the five vowel or consonant positions and the position on the line in which words are naturally written. The columns are arranged three on a page, two opposite pages being required to display all the words represented by each sign. For convenience, the signs are repeated on the second page. At the top of each column is placed the letter which the position should express, and which is the second or third letter of the words beneath it. This position letter forms a part of and is to be read in the sign which stands at the left of the column. In writing, the word-signs are often used with suffixes attached to form other words. In such cases the sign should be in position and the affix made without lifting the pen. It will be excellent practice, in learning the signs, to form words with sign and suffixes. It will undoubtedly be clear to the learner that in this list each sign stands for the several words at its right, and that for each word the sign must be written in the position indicated by the letter at the top of the column in which the word stands. All the signs that a writer uses, he should thoroughly memorize and practice writing until he can form them perfectly and rapidly. It is good practice to form and write short sentences containing the words represented by signs. |