Re: fewest sounds?
| From: | Tim May <butsuri@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Tuesday, November 29, 2005, 0:04 |
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tomhchappell wrote at 2005-11-28 23:16:29 (-0000)
> --- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, Paul Bennett <paul-bennett@N...>
> > wrote:
> > On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:43:06 -0500, Reilly Schlaier
> >> <schlaier@S...> wrote:
> >> what are the fewest sounds in any language i was wondering how
> >> many sounds are required to make a language work
> > [snip]
> > Technically, you only need two phonemes for a workable language,
> > but I can't see that occuring naturally.
>
> Hi, Paul, Reilly, et al.
>
> I agree, Paul. Assuming no tones, and only CV-type
> syllable-structure, you would either need two different consonants
> -- all variety then being in the choice of consonants, if there
> were only one vowel -- or two different vowels -- all variety then
> being in the choice of vowels, if there were only one consonant.
>
> So, I'm going to say "at least three phonemes -- at least one
> vowel, at least one consonant, and either at least two vowels or at
> least two consonants".
>
Why would you assume CV syllables? In any case, one can make an
arbitrarily large number of words from different length strings of a
single syllable - or for that matter a single phoneme (e.g. a
consonant with some kind of vowel epenthesis). Not remotely
practical, but practicality isn't the issue here.
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