> Perhaps it has to do with syllable boundaries? I'm guessing that in
> _ignorera_ there is a syllable break between the "g" ([g] or [N]) and
> the "n", while _ugn_ is all one syllable.
Nice theory, which unfortunately founders on _ugnar_ ['8Nnar] "owens".
Another weird twist; when my brother attempts to mimic my pronunciation, he
ends up with [INgure:ra]. What the?!?
Andreas
> --- Andreas Johansson wrote:
> > We just had a little family argument over the
> > pronunciation of the verb _ignorera_ "ignore";
> > I say [INnUre:ra] (and am, of course, right!),
> > but my mother, brother and younger sister say
> > [IgnUre:ra], in defiance of the rule that says
> > that "g" becomes [N] before "n".
>
> > The weird part is that despite their being able
> > to hear that I say it differently, they also
> > insist they have [g] in words like _ugn_ "owen",
> > despite pronouncing it [8Nn] with as clear a
> > velar nasal stop as anyone can ask for, while
> > not being able to tell what's wrong with [8gn].
>
> > And similarly with other words with written -gn-.
> > That they hear a [g] in _ugn_ etc is presumably
> > only a case of hearing the spelling, but how can
> > they possibly be unaware of the distinction in
> > these words, but not in _ignorera_ ?!?
>
>
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