Excerpt
CONSONANTS
Of the consonants, b, d, f, h, j, k, l, m, n, ng, p, sh, t, v, z, always have their common English sounds, when used to transliterate foreign words. The letter c is not used by itself in re-writing for pronunciation, s or k being used instead. The only consonantal symbols, therefore, that require explanation are the following:—
ch is always as in rich.
d, nearly as th in this = Sp. d in Madrid, &c.
g is always hard, as in go.
h represents the guttural in Scotch loch, Ger. nach, also other similar gutturals.
nË™, Fr. nasal n as in bon.
r represents both English r, and r in foreign words, which is generally much more strongly trilled.
s, always as in so.
th, as th in thin.
th, as th in this.
w always consonantal, as in we.
x = ks, which are used instead.
y always consonantal, as in yea (Fr. ligne would be re-written lēny).
zh, as s in pleasure = Fr. j.
Amiel´, Henri Frédéric, French-Swiss philosophical writer and poet, born at Geneva, 1821, died there 1881. Educated at Geneva, he resided a considerable time abroad, especially in Germany, and was much influenced by German thought and science. On his return he first held the chair of æsthetics, and then that of philosophy. He published several volumes of poetry as well as other works, but he is best known by his Journal Intime, published after his death, and translated into English (1885), with a critical study by Mrs. Humphry Ward. It shows great critical and philosophical power, but is pessimistic.
Amiens (aË™-mÄ“-anË™), a town of France, capital of the department of Somme, on the railway from Boulogne to Paris. It has a citadel, wide and regular streets, and several large open areas; a cathedral, one of the largest and finest Gothic buildings in Europe, founded in 1220 by Bishop Evrard, after designs made by the architect Robert de Luzarches. Having water communication with the sea by the Somme, which is navigable for small vessels, it has a large trade and numerous important manufactures, especially cotton and woollen goods. It was taken by the Germans in 1870, and again in 1914, by General von Kluck. Pop. (1911) 93,207.—The Peace of Amiens, concluded between Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Batavian Republic, 27th March, 1802, put an end for a time to the great war which had lasted since 1793.
Amir. See Emir.
Amirante Islands (aË™-mÄ“-raË™n´tÄ), a group of eleven small islands in the Indian Ocean, lying south-west of the Seychelles, and forming a dependency of Mauritius.
Amlwch (am´löh), a seaport in North Wales, Island of Anglesey. Pop. (1921), 2694 (urb. dist.).
Ammana´ti, Bartolomeo, a sculptor and architect, born at Florence in 1511, died 1592; executed the Leda at Florence, a gigantic Neptune for St. Mark's Place at Venice, a colossal Hercules at Padua, and after the inundation in 1557, which destroyed all the bridges of the Arno, built the celebrated Trinity Bridge at Florence, finished in 1570. He was an imitator of Michael Angelo without his inspiration and genius....