Re: back to "rhotic miscellany" (was: Need some help with terms: was "rhotic miscellany")

--- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, Roger Mills <rfmilly@M...> wrote:

>Is our /r/ retroflexed? Try these experiments (valid at least for
>Murkins):
>Say "cod" or "hod"-- notice where the tongue tip ends up. Now
>say "card" or "hard". Unless I miss my guess, you will see that
>the "d" is now articulated noticeably further back. You will also
>feel, I think, that the d of cod etc. involves more of the tongue
>blade, whereas the d of card is more apical Same with "lodge"
>vs. "large", no? (And needless to say, same with final -t and [-tS]
>words.)
Quite right to a point.  But this time I stuck my finger in my mouth
to find the tip of my tongue.  It is definitely not retroflexed but
points straight ahead.  Yes, the "d" of "cod" is articulated a
bit "post-tip."  But the reason my "d" of "card" is articulated
farther back on the alveolus is that the "r" pulls the whole tongue
back toward my palate.  But it doesn't make make the tongue tip
retroflex.

This is fascinating!

Charlie

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