Re: Harsh vs. Soft Sounds

Sebastian Adems sikyal:

> Well, for instance, French would be considered soft, where as a more
> guttural sounding language (can't think of anything right now, maybe LotR
> Orc tongues?)
Please quote the material you're responding to, as I'm doing.

I think French is one of the most unaesthetic languages I've ever heard.
But in any case, "harsh" vs. "soft" is a pretty subjective distinction,
and you haven't really defined it. I prefer "soft" sounding languages, by
which I mean languages dominated by voiceless sounds and without too many
velars or other "gutterals". Nonetheless, I've made languages that weren't
like that at all, and a poll of the languages on Conlang reveals plenty of
"harsh" languages by that criterion.

--
Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/blog

Jesus asked them, "Who do you say that I am?"

And they answered, "You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground
of our being, the kerygma in which we find the ultimate meaning of our
interpersonal relationship."

And Jesus said, "What?"

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