Re: [T] -> [f] (was: Chinese Dialect Question)

On Tue, 7 Oct 2003, Mark J. Reed wrote:

> On Tue, Oct 07, 2003 at 06:31:47AM +0100, Ray Brown wrote:
> > As for [T] --> [f], it appears to have already been underway in the 19th
> > century and now in the 21st cent. it's still, apparently, only a regional
> > phenomenon. I suspect established spelling, education and the growing use
> > of an English Koine as a global auxiliary language will prevent the change
> > ever becoming complete.
>
> Yeah, I think at least international standard English will be relatively
> frozen henceforth.
I doubt it. I reckon the individual dialects will go their own ways, and
ISE will go wherever GA takes it, though remaining conservative enough
that we can understand it.

> But what do you mean by "an English Koine"?  I thought Koine was
> Greek.
Must a 'lingua franca' be French?

--
Tristan                  <kesuari@...>

Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still
be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement.
                -- Snoopy

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