Re: THEORY: Semivowels

Gustavo Eulalio wrote:

>         What really are the semivowels? I mean, are [j] and [w],
> respectively, just short [i] and [u], or are they really different
> sounds?
Oh, what an impossible question!  It all turns on *exactly* what you
mean by "different sounds."  Probably not answerable with lots of
careful defining of terms.

But let's put it this way: typically [j] and [w] are produced the
same way that [i] and [u] are produced (but are very short), but their
pattern of distribution is similar to that of consonants rather than
to that of vowels.

>         Can semivowels be nasalized?
Sure.  I have no idea if nasalization of semivowels is phonemic in
any language, though.  I can't hear much noticeable difference between
a nasalized and non-nasalized [j], but then I'm not very good at
detecting and producing nasalization in vowels to begin with.


Ed Heil                                    edheil@postmark.net
--------------------------------------------------------------