Re: YAEPT:Re: Phonological musings (was: Announcement: New auxlang "Choton")

Ray Brown scripsit:

> I am certain the problem is a typo in Andreas' original message. It is
> surely "where", not "were" that JJRT wrote.
No, there can be no reasonable doubt.  I have checked several different
editions, and in Appendix E is written:

	As far as can be determined the sounds represented
	by these letters [...] were of normal kind, though
	doubtless many local varieties escape detection. That
	is, the sounds were approximately those represented
	by i, e, a, o, u in English machine, were, father,
	for, brute, irrespective of quantity.

Note also the rhyme were/hair in Bilbo's poem, quoted in my previous
posting.  I'm half tempted (but only half) to change "hair" to "fur"
when I read this aloud, since were/fur is a perfect rhyme for me.

--
John Cowan  jcowan@reutershealth.com  www.reutershealth.com  www.ccil.org/~cowan
[R]eversing the apostolic precept to be all things to all men, I usually [before
Darwin] defended the tenability of the received doctrines, when I had to do
with the [evolution]ists; and stood up for the possibility of [evolution] among
the orthodox -- thereby, no doubt, increasing an already current, but quite
undeserved, reputation for needless combativeness.  --T. H. Huxley

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