Re: Vocalic patterns & BrSc

At 5:56 pm +0000 11/5/02, Andreas Johansson wrote:
[snip]
>
>Have you considered a 2x3 pattern? That is, something like:
>
>/i/----/u/
>|      |
>/e/----/o/
>|      |
>/a/----/A/
>
>/a/ could be realized as either [a] or [{], or have both as free allophones.
It could.  But a three level scheme will not fit with the type of syllabary
suggested by Dirk.  It has to be a simple two-level scheme.

But as you may have seen, I have considered a 3x3 pattern for some possible
future artlang   :)

>I can't think of any natlang with this system right now,
According to Robert A. Hall "Introductory Linguistics"
 /i/----/u/
  |      |
 /e/----/o/
  |      |
 /E/----/a/

is found in Persian, Ukranian, Menomini (and Algonkian lang) and some others.

But you may have read before you get this reply that I've decided on 2x2
for BrScB, and retaining for the moment the classical 5-vowel system plus
the two diphthongs /aj/ and /aw/ for BrScA.

Ray.

=======================================================
The median nature of language is an epistemological
commonplace.  So is the fact that every general
statement worth making about language invites a
counter-statement or antithesis.
                                 GEORGE STEINER.
=======================================================