French u [y] and ou [u] allophones? (was Re: anti-Sanskritism and more)
| From: | Jean-François Colson <bn130627@...> |
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| Date: | Tuesday, December 2, 2003, 18:18 |
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Jung" <RobertMJung@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 2:20 AM
Subject: anti-Sanskritism and more
>
> Are the French u [y] and ou [u] allophones of a single phoneme?
>
Surely not. There are many words for which a swich from [y] to [u] changes
the meaning.
For example:
- bulle /byl/ (bubble) - boule /bul/ (ball, bowl)
- cul /ky/ (ass) - cou /ku/ (neck)
- sur /sy:R/ (sour) - sourd /su:R/ (deaf)
- du /dy/ (from/of the) - d'où /du/ (from where), doux /du/ (sweet)
- pur /py:R/ (pure) - pour /pu:R/ (for)
- la mûre /lamy:R/ (the mulberry/blackberry/brambleberry/dewberry) - l'amour
/lamu:R/ (love)
- and many others.
Jean-François Colson
jfcolson@belgacom.net
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