THIR, pron. Obsolete; still employed in the Scotch dialect: the plural of this; and contrasted to these, in the same manner as that is to this.
As there is no word in the English language equivalent to this, we thus show the manner in which it is employed. In the English language we say, that stone or house, pointing at one at a distance, is larger or more commodious than this stone or this house, which is supposed to be at hand. In the same manner, in the Scotch dialect, they say, these (or, as it is pronounced, thae) stones are whiter than thir stones; denoting, that the former are at a distance, and the latter at hand. And, in the same manner, it is invariably applied to denote any present object in the plural manner, as opposed to these: as these or thir apples, as at hand, or at a distance; these, or thir trees, &c.; but never in the singular number, as it is always this or that tree, house, &c.
As the English language is so exceedingly irregular in the pronunciation, the same letter in the same situation often assuming sounds totally different in different words, it is impossible to establish any general rules, on this subject, which do not admit of many exceptions: therefore, a dictionary is the best means of ascertaining and pointing out the proper pronunciations of words. For, if the writer first pointed out all the different sounds that the same letter could ever be made to express, and assigned to every particular sound which each letter could be made to assume, a particular mark, which was appropriated to denote that particular sound of the letter whenever it occurred; by placing these particular marks above the letters in the dictionary, the sound of each letter would be pointed out in all cases with the utmost certainty. It would be impos-
sible for us to illustrate this by examples, without first Dictionary. ascertaining all the sounds of each letter; which would lead us into a discussion too long for this place. Didactic.
We shall only further observe, That, besides having the accented syllable of every word properly distinguished in a dictionary to assist in the pronunciation, the English language requires another essential improvement, viz. the use of accents to distinguish the meaning of words and phrases: which, although, it is not so properly confined to a lexicographer, yet it is not quite without his sphere. Thus the word as admits of two very different sounds, as well as different significations; as in this example, "Cicero was nearly as eloquent as Demosthenes:" in which the first as is pronounced as, and the last is pronounced æz. Now, it often happens, that, in reading, the particular way in which it ought to be understood is not pointed out by the context, till after the word itself is pronounced, which has an equal chance at least of being pronounced wrong; whereas, if it were always accented when employed in the one sense, and not in the other, it would free the reader from this perplexity. There are other cases in which the use of proper accents in writing would be of great consequence; as at the beginning of a sentence, when it was put as a question, or used ironically, &c. the want of which every one must have observed. But as this does not so properly belong to the lexicographer as the grammarian, we shall here take no farther notice of it.
The above examples, we hope, will be sufficient to give the reader some idea of the plan that we would propose; and enable him to determine, whether or not a dictionary, executed upon this plan, would convey to his mind a more perfect knowledge of the English language, than those dictionaries that have been hitherto published. These examples were given rather with a view to show the manner in which a work of this kind might be conducted, than as perfect and unexceptionable explanations of the several articles there enumerated; and therefore we did not think it necessary to produce any authorities, although we are sensible that they would be requisite in such a work.