Re: USAGE: Thorn vs Eth

From: "John Cowan" <jcowan@...>
> Christophe Grandsire scripsit:
>
> > Well, the simple fact that there isn't any minimal pair between /T/ and /D/,
>
> A few: "thigh" vs. "thy" is the one usually given.  But certainly the
> functional load is very low, as shown by this model:
>
> Initial "th" is /D/ in closed-class words only;
The counter-problem with thigh/thy, all initial /D/, and the final /D/ with and
without silent "e"  following is that they all cross morpheme boundaries.  The
morphemes are not free-standing words (or usually recognized by native
speakers), but they indicate meaning nonetheless--there's the
second-person-familiar and the deictic (which is also in 'either' etc.)

> Intervocalic "th" is /D/ except in words of Greek origin;
>
> Final "th" is /D/ if a silent "e" follows, and in some pron. of "with";
>
> All other "th" is /T/.
>
> (Anglophones, I'd be interested to hear of exceptions.)
When affecting a lisp, /s/ becomes /T/, even intervocalically.

I was *going* to say "zither", but that one turns out to be ultimately from
Greek anyway.  And that I thought "mathom" was /"m(Tm=/ doesn't count either, I
suppose.

"prithee" sometimes has /T/, depending on idiolect.  "pithy" and other -th-y
always do (but then, there's another morpheme boundary there).



    *Muke!
--
http://www.frath.net/

Replies