Return-Path: Received: from SEGATE.SUNET.SE by xiron.pc.helsinki.fi with smtp (Linux Smail3.1.28.1 #1) id m0tGTfS-0000ZTC; Fri, 17 Nov 95 18:29 EET Message-Id: Received: from listmail.sunet.se by SEGATE.SUNET.SE (LSMTP for OpenVMS v1.0a) with SMTP id B8E11D6D ; Fri, 17 Nov 1995 17:29:33 +0100 Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 22:35:13 -0500 Reply-To: Jorge Llambias Sender: Lojban list From: Jorge Llambias Subject: Re: Goran on phonology X-To: lojban@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu, jorge@minerva.phyast.pitt.edu To: Veijo Vilva Content-Length: 607 Lines: 13 Goran & And: > > There is nothing in lojban phonology that would imply that aspiration > > has distinctive function. > True, but I'm not sure that that's what was originally intended. I suspect > James Brown, or whoever it was, believed that English p/t/k b/d/g differ > in voicing. Was this design feature really introduced in the knowledge > that it is foreign and very difficult to english ears? I doubt it. Spanish distinguishes them by fricating (or whatever) b/d/g rather than by aspirating p/t/k. If voicedness is not enough I don't see why the English method should be the preferred one. :) Jorge