Re: Arabic

On Thu, 22 Nov 2001 02:12:55 -0600 Eric Christopherson
<rakko@...> writes:
> ObArabic: That "choking" description has never helped me. I was
> taught that
> if someone's choking they can't make any vocal sounds. If it's more
> like gagging or clearing one's throat, that I could imagine. But that
> sound is still one I can make in isolation but not inside a word. The
other
> idea I have for what pharyngealization *might* sound like is the noise
> Homer
> Simpson makes when he thinks of something tasty. Know the one? Am I
> nearly correct here?
> --
> Eric Christopherson, a.k.a. Contrarian Conlanger Rakko ^_^
-

That's it.  I remember it being discussed here not that long ago, it's
the sound he makes with his mouth open and his tongue hanging out, right?
 As opposed to the "mmmm... forbidden donut..." nasal sound.  That
pharyngeal sound is actually a `ayn voiced pharyngeal
fricative/approximant sound.  So if you hold the back of your tongue in
that position while articulating whatever else, you'd come out with a
pharyngealized sound.  Of course, the _Teach Yourself Arabic_ book i
tried to use 4 years ago said that `ayn is made with the same muscles you
regurgitate with, so "if you feel like you're throwing up, you've got it
correct"  ;-)


-Stephen (Steg)
 "mootooyootoo!"

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