Subject: Re: [lojban] gizmu

From: John Cowan <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 13:59:12 -0400 (EDT)

And Rosta scripsit:

> [e.g. I *say* /luZvo/ but *hear in my mind's ear* /luvo/. I also say
> /rafci/ = /rafSi/. Lord knows why.]

I think that if I were going to anglicize "gismu" it would come out [gIzmu]
and not half-anglicized [gizmu]. To block assimilation in "gismu", I say
[gis(hm)mu]; there is a perceptible period of nasal exhalation between
the end of [s] and the beginning of [m].

> Assimilation is natural, yet language-particular. Contrast russian
> _glasnost_ /glasnost/ with English /glaznost/.

The latter in Russian means "eyeness" (if it means anything).

> Also contrast English 
> _prism_ /prizm/, prison /prizn/ with _listen_, /lisn/. 

I pronounce "prism" and "prison" alike, both with two syllables. So this
is normal (old) intervocalic voicing of /s/. I presume the now-lost /t/
of "listen" blocked this process, as likewise in "hustle", "castle",
"muscle", /p&sl=/ (conventionally "passel") < "parcel". "Often" is
on the same pattern as well.

-- 
John Cowan <[email-masked]> http://www.reutershealth.com
I amar prestar aen, han mathon ne nen, http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
han mathon ne chae, a han noston ne 'wilith. --Galadriel, _LOTR:FOTR_