Phonetic question...

Regarding palatalization and the transcription thereof.

My understanding is that the "palatalized" diacritic
([superscript j] in IPA, ['] or [_j] in X-SAMPA) indicates a
modification to the release of the consonant it modifies.
How then, does [tj] differ in practice from [t']?

And is there a practical difference between say, IPA
[left-tail n]/SAMPA [J] and SAMPA [n'] or for that matter
[nj]? Take as an example the Spanish word for "year": [aJo]
vs. [an'o] vs. [anjo].

I've a whole range of consonants with a palatal release in
my as-yet unnamed first language, and I'm having trouble
deciding how to notate them.

I promise, by the way, to slow down the questions and
actually post some substance on this first project soon,
hopefully by mid-week next week.

------------
Paul Edson (conlang@twocannibals.com)

"It might look as if I'm staring at you with a mixture of
contempt and disbelief, but I'm actually meditating."

-Dilbert

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