Clicks (was: Arabic Phonetics WAS Re: Primary Interjections - Unversals?

At 7:15 am -0400 8/4/02, John Cowan wrote:
>Christophe Grandsire scripsit:
>
>> Well, the problem is that I *can't* pronounce nasalised clicks. I just don't
>> manage to pronounce them. So I basically disagree on the statement that they
>> are easier to pronounce than normal clicks, and that because of personal
>> experience.
>
>Hmmm, strange.
Not at all.  I'm afraid I just don't follow And on this one (you may recall
I've argued with him before - and I guess we'll never agree on it).

On this matter, this Saxon is in complete agreement with his Norman friend:
"So I basically disagree on the statement that they are easier to pronounce
than normal clicks, and that because of personal experience."  My
sentiments exactly  :)

>I find it straightforward: just say [N:::::::] and
Now that's the rub. I do not find initial [N] easy; and I don't want to go
around just clicking in syllable final positions.

>somewhere in there articulate the click.  Since the click uses the
>mouth outward from the velar closure only, the [N] keeps the regular
>airstream machinery busy at the same time.
>
>Then say [aN:a] and articulate the click during the [N:].
But what about Xhosa words such as 'nceda' (help) & 'nqena' (be lazy) where
the nasal clicks are initial?

>Then say [a?a] and coarticulate the click with the [?].
Gosh, I can manage ordinary, non-nasal clicks - but to co-articulate a
velaric consonant with a glottal stop!  Either I've missed something, or
else "Help!!"


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   XRICTOC ANESTH
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