Pronunciation ...

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

OK, now I'm confused.  I've downloaded a copy of the 
textbook to check on a few things (my copies of the 
reference grammar haven't arrived yet.  Bob ??)  and
I've just re-read the bit about pronunciation.  In 
particular, the letter  "a".  Here's a complete clip:

txt_bk> The basic Lojban vowels are best described as
txt_bk> being similar to the vowels of Spanish and
txt_bk> Italian.  These languages use pure vowels,
txt_bk> whereas English commonly uses vowels that are
txt_bk> complexes of two or more pure vowels called
txt_bk> diphthongs (2-sounds) or triphthongs (3-sounds).
txt_bk> English speakers must work at keeping the sounds
txt_bk> pure; a crisp, clipped speech tends to help,
txt_bk> along with keeping the lips and tongue tensed
txt_bk> (for example by smiling tightly) while speaking.
txt_bk>
txt_bk> There are five common vowels (a, e, i, o, u), and
txt_bk> one special purpose vowel (y). English words that
txt_bk> are close in pronunciation are given, but few
txt_bk> English speakers pronounce these words with the
txt_bk> purity and tension needed in Lojban pronunciation.
txt_bk>
txt_bk> a  /ah/  'top',   'father'  patfu    /PAHT,foo/
txt_bk> e  /eh/  'bet',   'lens'    lenjo    /LEHN,zhoh/
txt_bk> i  /ee/  'green', 'machine' minji    /MEEN,zhee/
txt_bk> o  /oh/  'joke',  'note'    notci    /NOH,chee/
txt_bk> u  /oo/  'boot',  'shoe'    cutci    /SHOO,chee/
txt_bk>
txt_bk> y  /uh/  'sofa',  'above'  lobypli /LOHB,uh,plee/
txt_bk>
txt_bk> The sound represented by y, called 'schwa', is
txt_bk> a totally relaxed sound, contrasting with all
txt_bk> the other tensed vowels. In this way, the Lojban
txt_bk> vowels are maximally separated among possible
txt_bk> vowel sounds. The English speaker must be
txt_bk> especially careful to ensure that a final
txt_bk> unstressed a in a Lojban word is kept tensed,
txt_bk> and not relaxed as in the English 'sofa'
txt_bk> (compare the equivalent Lojban sfofa /SFO,fah/).


and the bit that *really* confuses me is the line:

txt_bk> a  /ah/  'top',   'father'  patfu    /PAHT,foo/

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

So, just how *does* one pronounce the  "a" ??
Which of the following gives the best approximation?

    "top", "often", "off", "octet", "October"
    "gas", "grab", "dab", "action", "actual"
    "tug", "mug", "undo", "father", "money"


e'osai ko sarji la lojban.