The Essentials of Phonetics; Containing the Theory of a Universal Alphabet, Together with Its Practical Application as an Ethnical Alphabet to the Reduction of Old Language, 1848 Leather Bound

by Alexander John Ellis

Leather Binding on Spine and Corners with Golden leaf printing on spine. This book is printed in black & white, Sewing binding for longer life, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of binding. Reprinted in 2022 with the help of original edition published long back 1848. As this book is reprinted from a very old book, there could be some missing or flawed pages. If it is multi vo Resized as per current standards. We expect that you will understand our compulsion with such books. 304 The essentials of phonetics; containing the theory of a universal alphabet, together with its practical application as an ethnical alphabet to the reduction of old language, written or unwritten, to one uniform system of writing; with numerous examples; adapted to the use of phoneticians, philologists, etymologists, ethnographists, travellers, and missionaries. In lieu of a second edition of the "Alphabet of Nature." 1848 Alexander John Ellis

304 pages, Leather Bound

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

Alexander John Ellis, FRS was an English mathematician and philologist, who also influenced the field of musicology. He changed his name from his father's name Sharpe to his mother's maiden name Ellis in 1825, as a condition of receiving significant financial support from a relative on his mother's side. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London.

He was born Alexander John Sharpe in Hoxton, Middlesex to a wealthy family. His father James Birch Sharpe was a notable artist and physician, who was later appointed Esquire of Windlesham. His mother Ann Ellis was from a noble background.

Alexander was educated at Shrewsbury School, Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge (BA 1837). Initially trained in mathematics and the classics, he became a well-known phonetician of his time. Through his work in phonetics, he also became interested in vocal pitch and by extension, in musical pitch as well as speech and song.

Ellis is noted for translating and extensively annotating Hermann von Helmholtz's On the Sensations of Tone. The second edition of this translation, published in 1885, contains an appendix which summarises Ellis' own work on related matters.

In his writings on musical pitch and scales, Ellis elaborates his notion and notation of cents for musical intervals. This concept became especially influential in Comparative musicology, a predecessor of ethnomusicology. Analyzing the scales (tone systems) of various European musical traditions, Ellis also showed that the diversity of tone systems cannot be explained by a single physical law, as had been argued by earlier scholars.

In part V of Ellis' work On Early English Pronunciation, he applied the Dialect Test across Britain. He distinguished forty-two different dialects in England and the Scottish Lowlands.

Ellis was acknowledged by George Bernard Shaw as the prototype of Professor Henry Higgins of Pygmalion (adapted as the musical My Fair Lady). He was elected in June 1864 as a Fellow of the Royal Society.

- Wikipedia