In the single word
_sieve_ the vowel remains short in spite of two silent vowels added to
strengthen it. Two vowels are also sometimes required to strengthen a
long vowel before _th,_ as in _breathe,_ though when the vowel itself
is a strong one, as _a_ in _bathe,_ the second vowel is not required,
and _o_ in _both_ is so easily increased in sound that the two
consonants alone are sufficient. It will be seen, therefore, that much
depends on the quality of the vowel. _A_ and _o_ are the strongest
vowels, _i_ the weakest (which accounts for sieve). After _s_ and _z_
we must also have a silent _e_ in addition to the silent vowel with
which the sounded vowel is combined, as we may see in _cheese, increase,
freeze,_ etc. The added vowel in combination with the long vowel is not
always needed, however, as we may see in contrasting _raise_ and _rise_.
Not only vowels but consonants may serve to lengthen vowel sounds, as
we see in _right, night, bright,_ and in _scold, roll,_ etc. Only _o_
is capable of being lengthened by two simple consonants such as we have
in _scold_ and _roll_. In _calm_ and _ball,_ for instance, the _a_ has
one of its extra values rather than its long sound.
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