Message-ID: <45723719.8070606@phma.optus.nu>
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:31:53 -0500
From: Pierre Abbat <phma@phma.optus.nu>
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To: lojban-beginners@lojban.org
Subject: [lojban-beginners] Re: Pronouncing "x"
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Evan Wilson wrote:
> Ronald (I hope you don't mind that I address you rather informally),
> 
> I took a different approach on learning how to pronounce the Lojban  
> "x". I happen to have studied the Persian (Farsi) alphabet, and it  has 
> the character "خ" or "khe" which seems to be similar if not exact  to 
> the Lojban "x". A sound recording of "خ" can be found here: http:// 
> easypersian.com/W4/khe_4.mp3
> (Reminds me a bit of Hebrew)
> 
> Even if you do already have that confidently figured out, perhaps it  
> will help in confirmation?

I knew a Persian named Farrokh, and he ended his name with that sound.

I pronounce it as either ach-Laut or ich-Laut, depending on nearby 
vowels, except in the combination "xr", which I pronounce as a single 
sound, a voiceless uvular and alveolar trill (i.e. ach-Laut and rolled r 
at the same time). If you heard my turkey tonguetwister at jbonunsla, 
you know what that sounds like. But if the "r" of "xr" is vocalic, it's 
the voiced double trill. So:
marxa - ach-Laut
darxi - ich-Laut
maxri - double trill
rirxrxrazdani - just keep trying ;)
(This last word means "is the river Hrazdan". You probably don't need it 
unless you're going to Armenia ;))

As to Hebrew, I pronounce (when I'm careful) chet as ach-Laut and khaf 
as ich-Laut.

phma