This section is from the book "Haven's Complete Manual Of Practical Phonography", by Curtis Haven.
The compound sounds of the English letters X and Q-prove the most difficult for the student to analyse when writing English words in which those sounds occur, or writing English words spelled with those letters. The purpose, therefore, of the first part of the Exercise to this lesson is to make this matter an easy one for the student, commencing with the presentation of an easy form for the sound of X, which is composed of the sounds short-e, K and S. Where that sound commences a word, the student need not spell it out in full, but -can, instead, write a shaded circle like the circle Z, as in signs 1 to 16 in Exercise.
This shaded circle readily does for the sound of X, beginning words, and in each instance will not be mistaken for the Z circle, for the circle Z always ends words. Use, therefore, a heavy circle for the sound of X beginning words, attaching to it the balance of the word, just as a halved R is added to that circle in sign 1 in Exercise, the whole outline being therein placed above the line, for the vowel in the last syllable ert in that outline for exert, is entitled to the position, the circle X taking any position, it only being necessary to indicate the principal vowel of the balance of the word. This X circle, being merely a shaded circle S, is added to all other characters on the same side as the circle S, the right or upper side of straight characters, and like the circle S, may denote the indication of R to the main consonant, by putting the X circle on the R side of straight consonants, just as the X circle is placed to the letter P in such words as experience, sign 9 in Exercise, the shaded circle being read first, then the full consonant and next invisible R.
Signs 185 to 187 illustrate words containing the sound of X inter-medially, as in the words next, mixed and fixed. Phonetically, these words are spelled n-e-k-s-t, next, m-i-k-s-d, mixed, f-i-k-s-d, fixed; but the student may omit the K sound of X from them, spelling such words as though they were nest, fist and mist; and if there is fear that they will clash with those words, the loop may be shaded to indicate the K sound of X.
The sound of Q and the letter Q are apt to give more trouble than the sound of X. All words in English which are begun with the letter Q, have the sound of K and Way, the word queer, sign 17 in Exercise, being properly spelled phonetically K, Way, long-E and R, so that all words beginning with the English letter Q, are easily analyzed if we simply write their sounds, as will be seen in signs 17 to 23, wherein the Way hook follows the letter K in giving the exact sound of Kway, which the letter Q always has when it commences a word.
Sometimes there are words which, in English spelling, do not contain the English Q, but, in their pronunciation do, such words being cute and curiosity, which are pronounced as if begun with a letter Q. This is because the primary sound of Q is a K, as K-u, Q, and, as the English letter C in such words has also the K sound followed by U, the phoneticion hears the equivalent of the English letter Q only, such words being therefore treated just as if they were spelled with the letters K and U beginning them, the K being written and the sound of U indicated by position, as in signs 39 and 40 in Exercise.
 
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