From C.D.Wright@solipsys.compulink.co.uk Sun Apr 11 07:35:27 1999
X-Digest-Num: 111
Message-ID: <44114.111.608.959273824@eGroups.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1999 14:35:27 +0000
From: C.D.Wright@solipsys.compulink.co.uk
Subject: Re: Pronunciation ...
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 in "sofa" like that in
cf> "father". (I do so pronounce the 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. "