Re: fewest sounds?

Tim May wrote at 2005-11-29 00:04:46 (+0000)
 > tomhchappell wrote at 2005-11-28 23:16:29 (-0000)
 >  >
 >  > 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.
 >  >

Actually, now that I think about it, if you have only one vowel and a
strict CV syllable structure, I don't think you have a vowel _phoneme_
at all.  The vowel is totally predictable from the presence of a
consonant.