Re: Pronunciation ...

[C.D.Wright@solipsys.compulink.co.uk]

cdw> I've just re-read the bit about pronunciation.  In 
cdw> particular, the letter  "a".

cf> You must remember that Lojban being an international
cf> language, its materials are written firmly in American
cf> vau zo'o.

.u'isai

cdw> and the bit that *really* confuses me is the line:
txt_bk> a  /ah/  'top'  'father'   patfu    /PAHT,foo/

cdw> To me, "top"  and  "father"  have nothing in common, 
cdw> and, in particular, to me, the  "a"  in  "father" 
cdw> sounds just like the  "a"  in  "sofa". 

cf> For most people on the ropno side of the pond "top" and
cf> "father" have nothing in common; but nor, I suggest do
cf> many people pronounce the <a> in "sofa" like that in
cf> "father". (I do so pronounce the <a> in 'tonic sol-fa')

I pronounce "father" and "farther" more-or-less the same,
the difference being only in a slight lengthening of the
sound.


cdw> So, just how *does* one pronounce the  "a" ??
cdw> Which of the following gives the best approximation?
cdw>   "top", "often", "off", "octet", "October"
cdw>   "gas", "grab", "dab", "action", "actual"
cdw>   "tug", "mug", "undo", "father", "money"

cf> For most in southern England, "father" does indeed
cf> provide the best guide.  "tug" is not too bad, being
cf> fairly low; but in other dialects, this vowel is more
cf> central, and confusable with the schwa.

I've just spoken with a linguist friend who, upon being
told that the lojban vowels are tensed, widely spaced, 
and not easily confused with the schwa, came up, without
significant prompting, with

        /u/   boot, toot, flute, chute
        /o/   top, cot, motley, monster
        /i/   clean, green, machine
        /e/   bet, lens, enemy
        /a/   cat, bat, mat, dab, action


And as a footnote, there is no need in general to send
emails both to me and the list - it just means I get
them twice.  It doesn't matter, but it isn't necessary.


cdw
===
" If you never go off at a tangent
  you will forever run in circles. "