Return-Path: Received: from SEGATE.SUNET.SE by xiron.pc.helsinki.fi with smtp (Linux Smail3.1.28.1 #1) id m0tDCwt-0000ZTC; Wed, 8 Nov 95 18:02 EET Message-Id: Received: from listmail.sunet.se by SEGATE.SUNET.SE (LSMTP for OpenVMS v1.0a) with SMTP id 5CA9315B ; Wed, 8 Nov 1995 17:01:51 +0100 Date: Wed, 8 Nov 1995 10:42:14 -0500 Reply-To: Logical Language Group Sender: Lojban list From: Logical Language Group Subject: Re: buffer vowel X-To: ucleaar@UCL.AC.UK X-cc: lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu To: Veijo Vilva Content-Length: 916 Lines: 19 Answering And: Yes the vowels will tend to spread as far as possible. But there is still some vowel space that is not used in most dialects. Rather than trying to define a specific buffer sound, that mnight be difficult for some speakers bvecause unnatural, I would prefer to leave it speak speaker dependent. Indeed buffering is largely an involuntary reaction to difficult sounds and the amount we biffer may vary from time to time based on how much we are concentrating on speech. For English speakers, anything in that region you labelled "Y" should be fine - high central. Other speakers might need a little different sound. Length is also important. While Lojban vowel o\phonems have no defined length, in practice, the buffer sound is shorter than any vowel, whatever the dialect. I have tended in practice to lengthen my hyphen schwas when I am aware of buffering, to heighten any contrast. lojbab