Re: Describing the Welsh LL to non-linguists

Eric Christopherson wrote:
> On Nov 14, 2008, at 4:53 AM, R A Brown wrote:
>
>> In Nguni languages of south Africa (Zulu, Xhosa) etc, the sound is
>> written _hl_; these languages also have a _voiced_ lateral fricative
>> (IPA [ɮ]) written _dl_.
>
> I think that used to be written <dhl> (as in Isandhlwana) in one or both
> of those languages.
Quite possibly - there was (were?) older systems(s) of spelling for Zulu
(and, presumably, Xhosa), but I don't know the details.

The modern spelling is _Isandlwana_ - but the _dl_ has an affricate
pronunciation here, i.e. [dɮ] (or [dZ\]). Indeed, altho the text books
say _dl_ is the voiced form of _hl_, i.e. a voiced lateral fricative,
some description of its pronunciation would seem to imply an affricate
pronunciation. I get the impression that [dɮ] and [ɮ] are allophones of
the sound spelled _dl_.

{Thinks: Is this going to become a thread about Zulu and/or Nguni
orthography and/or phonology?}

--
Ray
==================================
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
==================================
Frustra fit per plura quod potest
fieri per pauciora.
[William of Ockham]