Re: Your Help Appreciated

Carlos Thompson spake, saying:

>> My consonants, in order of frequency, are:
>> /r/, /n/, /l/, /s/, /d/, /t/, /k/, /m/, /th/, /v/, /g/, /dh/, /p/, /f/,
>> /sh/, /b/, /j/, /w/, /z/, /ch/, /h/, /zh/, /wh/, /rh/, /kw/, /kh/, /gw/,
>> /kth/, /vh/, /ng/
>>
>> ...where /r/ is trilled and /rh/ is not, and /vh/ is a non-dental /v/ (it
>> could also be classified as a non-labial /m/).
>
> Just a little nitpick in conventions.  What does consonants like /kth/ mean?
> Slanted brackets (slashes) are used to give phonetic descriptions, then
> /kth/ would mean the phonemes /k/, /t/ and /h/ (a pretty interesting cluster
> IMO), or does /th/ mean english <th> sound? (note: angle brackets for
> orthographic conventions).  In most ASCII-IPA encodings, english voiceless
> <th> is noted as /T/, or does /th/ mean aspirated /t/ (/t_h/)?
Thanks for the lesson. I said I was learning! Yes, I meant /T/ and /D/ (I'm
still deciphering the ASCII-IPA encodings without the benefit of someone
actually vocalizing them for me, so I apologize for the confusion)

> In other words.  Are above description phonetic or orthographic?  Are
> descriptions as /kth/ consonant clusters?
Primarily orthographic. The  <kth> would be something like the orthographic
<cth> cluster I've seen in some Greek words, though I admit I only use it in
a couple of words out of my 1900 roots.

> Well.  non-dental /v/ or non-labial /m/... I can't be sure what they mean.
> Probably a non-nasal /m/.  I could thing about /B/ sound: voiced labial
> fricative, as intervocalic <b> in Spanish or beta in greek.
Yes, a non-nasal /m/ where the lips do not actually touch.

>> The vowels, again, in order of frequency, are:
>> /e/, /a/, /o/, /E/, /&/, /I/, /i/, /u-/, /U/, /u/
>
> Is /u-/ IPA barred u (high central rounded)?
I believe so -- is that how you show the "oo" sound in "book"? That was my
intent.

>> Allowed dypthongs:
>> /Eo/, /aI/, /Io/, /IE/, /Ie/, /Ia/, /IU/, /Iu-/, /Ea/, /Eu-/
>
> [...]
>
> -- Carlos Th
Thanks for your patience!

John