Re: USAGE: Thorn vs Eth

On Tue, 2002-07-09 at 23:24, Christophe Grandsire wrote:
> En réponse à "Tony HydraulicOrganismGeneratedforAccurateRepair,Destruction"
> <james.hogard@...>:
>
> >
> > I've got <ether> /T/ vs. <either> /D/, but that's the only pair
> > that comes to mind.  For me, the two are always distinguished.
> >
>
> Works only for people who pronounce |either| [iD@(r\)]. I was taught (And hear
> most often) [aID@(r\)].
I hear them about equally. I say /AeD@/. As an aside, 'ether' always
looked like it should be spelt /eD@/ to me. /i:T@/ should been spelt
<aether> or <oether> or something. Something out the front to suggest
length. (Notice, BTW, how the short /e/ wants to be followed by a voiced
/D/. Would that help the rule at all?)

Tristan.