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Now, Jacob, what does m-a-t spell?" "Chafing-mat," replied I. "It spells mat only, silly boy; the chafing will be on my part directly. Now, Jacob, what does d-o-g spell?" "Dog-kennel." "Dog, Jacob, without the kennel. Thou art very contumelious, and deservest to be rolled in the kennel. Now, Jacob, this is the last time that thou triflest with me; what does h-a-t spell?"
The guard with the key unlocked the door, and he and Yetsko went through, into an utterly silent sound-proofed room, and from it into an inner, noisy, room, where a recorded voice was chanting: "Hat huh-ah-tuh. H-a-t. Box buh-oh-ksss. B-o-x. Gun guh-uh-nnn. G-u-n. Girl guh-ih-rrr-lll," while pictures were flashed on a screen at the front, and words appeared under them.
The sound h-a-t would remain as meaningless as a sound in Choctaw, a seemingly inarticulate grunt, if it were not uttered in connection with an action which is participated in by a number of people. When the mother is taking the infant out of doors, she says "hat" as she puts something on the baby's head.
The bare fact that language consists of sounds which are mutually intelligible is enough of itself to show that its meaning depends upon connection with a shared experience. In short, the sound h-a-t gains meaning in precisely the same way that the thing "hat" gains it, by being used in a given way.
"Fur cap," replied I, after some hesitation. "Jacob, I feel the wrath rising within me, yet would I fain spare thee; if h-a-t spell fur-cap, pray advise me, what doth c-a-p spell, then?" "Capstern." "Indeed, Jacob, thy stern as well as thy head are in danger; and I suppose, then, w-i-n-d spells windlass, does it not?" "Yes, sir," replied I, pleased to find that he agreed with me.
Then she handed the book it was the only copy to the boy sitting in front of her, and he rose to read the next verse. Prestonby, catching the teacher's eye, nodded and smiled. This was a third-year class, of course, but from h-a-t spells hat to Swinburne in three years was good work. There were three other classes, a total of little over a hundred students.
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