Re: Explaining tone to a non-linguist; pharyngeals; noun incorporation

On Tuesday, March 16, 2004, at 06:55  PM, Trebor Jung wrote:

> What are pharyngeal sounds? How do you pronounce them? I've heard you
> pronounce them with your pharynx, but I still don't get it.
> --Trebor

When you make a pharyngeal sound it may feel like you're pulling the
root/back of your tongue downwards and backwards into your throat.  It
may feel like vomitting, or preparation for vomiting.

Homer Simpson of _The Simpsons_ makes two 'i'm hungry' sounds:
-- "mmmmmm....", a very long bilabial nasal (i.e. M)
and
-- "aaaaahhhh....", a gargling sound that sounds almost like voiced
choking, and which is actually the Semitic consonant _`ayin_, a voiced
pharyngeal fricative/approximant.

I hope that helps!


-Stephen (Steg)
  "when you cried i'd wipe away all of your tears
   when you'd scream i'd fight away all of your fears"
      ~ 'my immortal' by evanescence