Re: THEORY: Re : THEORY: Semivowels

Scr=EDobh =E9 Mathias:

>Dans un courrier dat=E9 du 08/09/99 17:44:37  , Gustavo a =E9crit :
>
> >     What really are the semivowels? I mean, are [j] and [w],
>
>there is another beautiful one : [=FC]
>(can't write the IPA symbol) :
>french : "suave, nuit, =E9cuelle".
Technically, *our* (that is, British and American English) /r/ before vow=
els=20
is a semivowel of sort, the semivocalic version of /@`/ in "her first nur=
se=20
works early".  This is the "retroflex schwa" vowel of not only English, b=
ut=20
Mandarin.  And no other langauges I can remember.

Oh and by the way, I think the SAMPA symbol for the semivocalic French=20
u/German u-umlaut is h\ (h-backslash).  At least assuming that the backsl=
ash=20
most often indicates an inverted letter.

Danny

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