Re: ...not what I mean (fwd)

Padraic Brown scripsit:
>
> That's hilarious!  :D
>
> On Sat, 25 Sep 1999, andrew wrote:
>
> > Some clever wordplay on how not to answer the telephone for your
> > edification.
>
> > * "Watt."
> > * "What is your name, please?"
> > * "Watt's my name."
> > * "That's what I asked you. What's your name?"
> > * "That's what I told you. Watt's my name."
>
> Obviously they don't distinguish [w] and [hw].
More than that.  I don't either, but "what" is [wVt] or [w@t] ---
I don't distinguish [V] and [@] worth mentioning --- but "Watt"
is distinctly [wAt], with a back vowel.

--
John Cowan                                   cowan@ccil.org
       I am a member of a civilization. --David Brin