[lojban-beginners] Re: More phonology: voiced/unvoiced and fricative/fricative

[m.kornig@sondal.net]

Selon Klaus Schmirler <KSchmir@online.de>:

> Now there's a whole bunch of xr words:
>
> xrabo Arabic
> xrani injure
> xriso Christian
> xruba buckwheat
> xruki turkey
> xrula flower
> xruti return

I find {xr} hard to pronounce (even though I've a German
palate, too).

> They taste best to my German palate when I pronounce them with an
> initial ach sound and then just add voicing. And I think one of the
> design principles (which admittedly I haven't found, or I'd have cited
> it above) was that sounds should be maximally distinct. So does [xR]
> count as maximally distinct - if so, I rest my case - or is the uvular
> r forbidden in this context?

I don't know the term "uvular r". But generally I agree
the the Lojban phonetic rules seem to be a bit arbitrary.


I sometimes wonder about the
common distinction between vowels and consonants.
And consequently about the necessity to have a
classical vowel sound in each word and/or syllable.

For instance why are words like {c}, {f}, {pst}, {m}
{kj}, {pc} or {gr} fobidden in Lojban?

I have no difficulties in pronouncing them,
even relatively loud! Some languages have sounds like
that, e.g. German, although you might not find them
in traditional dictionaries... Here are some words I
sometimes use:

{pst} means "Listen, but don't make much noice!".
{m} means "Maybe." or "I'm not entirely convinced."
    or "Very nice!" or "I'm surprised!" (depending on
    length and melody).
{c} means "Be quiet!" or "Shut up!".
{gr} means "I don't like your suggestion at all.".
{f} means "I'm tired."

Martin