Re: Optimum number of symbols

Roger Mills writes:
 > Tim May wrote:
 > (replying to....?)
 >
 > > >
 > > > [n] *is* the only syllabic consonant in Japanese, but non-syllabic [n]
 > > > exists as well.  The syllabic [n] is used in words like Nihon (Japan),
 > > > Kon'ya (today), etc.  {n'} is the usual romanization in cases where it
 > > > could be ambiguous, as {konya} could theoretically exist.  There are
 > > > minimal pairs, but I can't think of any examples (ah, I just noticed
 > > > that Philip Newton gave the example of kanen vs. kan'en).  In the word
 > > > _katakana_, syllabic _n_ isn't used (it is in _kanji_, tho - that would
 > > > be written ka-n-ji in hiragana)
 > > >
 > > > For some reason, I often see romanizations like _on'na_, even tho
 > > > there's no need for the apostrophe there - syllabic _n_ is the only
 > > > thing that the first _n_ could be.
 > > >
 > >Is this true?  Couldn't it be a doubled n, with a little tsu?  Or does
 > >that not occur for some reason?
 >
 > Interesting question.  Is that indeed possible? What about -VmmV-(assuming
 > it can occur)-- or would that be analyzed as ...V-syllabic n-mV...?
 >
 > Which consonants can be geminated wth tsu? Voiceless only, as I suspect?
 > What about the palatalized series; can you have e.g. -kky-??
 >
I don't know.  My knowledge of Japanese, at present, is adequate to
interpret things when they happen, but not to rule out what cannot
happen.  No-one's ever told me that gemination is restricted to any
particular series, but then I can't think of any words where voiced or
palatalised consonants are geminated.  No doubt someone withe more
experience than me will be able to answer this - in the meantime I'll
look through my vocabulary book, which is time well spent anyway.

 > The words _kon'ya, kan'en_ (perhaps even _onna_?) look to me as if they
 > could be compounds, though perhaps no longer recognized as such????