Re: OT: Phonetics (IPA)

John Cowan likis:

> Nikhil Sinha scripsit:
>
> > > Many English-speakers would hear your _t_ as _d_, I suspect.
> >
> > No, I pronounce t and d separately. Not many native English realise that
> > there are two sounds of both t and d ( and also of p). One sound is
aspirate
> > and the other unaspirate.
>
> The point is that in many varieties of English, aspiration is more
important
> than voicelessness in distinguishing /t/ from /d/.  These speakers will
> hear an unaspirated [t], except after [s], as a [d].  And exactly the same
> holds for /k/ vs. /g/ and /p/ vs. /b/.
>
> Since you can readily distinguish [t] and [t_h], you will be better
> understood if you consistently use [t_h] for /t/ except after [s],
> where [t] is the right thing.
I understand what you say. But, if I start doing that I will not be
understood in my own country. But, still when I speak to foreigners, I'll do
that. Its not that I cannot speak your way, its that I have got into the
habbit of speaking my (Indian) way.

Nikhil

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