Re: C_j vs Cj vs C_jj

Mark J. Reed wrote:


| As I mentioned, I'm learning Ukrainian.  One of the words I've learned
| is that for moon: /'mis_j.ats_j/.  But it keeps coming out as
| ['mis_j.jats_j/].  My Ukrainian coworker can't help but try to correct
| me when I say it, even though she  helpfully told me not to worry,
| since all Americans make the mistake.

1. The syllable break is in a different place: [ˈmi.sʲatsʲ].
2. Try to pronounce [ɕ] instead of [sʲ]. It may add some Polish accent, but
is still better than [sʲj]. Then try to eliminate hissing.

| AAAAAARGH!   I'm an Ugly American!!  I might as well go all out: use
| [r\] instead of [r], diphthongalize all my long vowels... [doubr\i:
| dein.  j&k ZItjAw].  Or just speak English, but LOUDER.
|
| Woe is me...
|
| I'm practicing releasing the [s_j] without a [j] slipping in there,
| but it's hard, especially since I can't really hear the difference
| myself...

Don't be afraid: Ukrainian has five (sic!) possibilities - C, Cj, C_j, C_j:
and C_jj, though not every consonant can have all the variants.
Examples: [sɪn] 'son', [sik] 'jiuce', [sʲik] 'he cut', [sʲai̯βɔ] 'radiance',
[uzˈlʲisʲːa] 'edge of a forest', [zjasuˈβatɪ] 'to make clear' (sorry,
couldn't find sj) - contrasted to [zʲatʲ] 'son-in-law', and finally,
[ˈsʲjɛɾa.leˈɔnɛ] 'Sierra Leone'.

| Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>

Cheers,
-- Yitzik

Reply