Re: USAGE: English vowels [was Re: THEORY: language and the brain]

On Thu, 2003-07-03 at 00:01, Thomas R. Wier wrote:
> Tangent: one problem with Americans trying to learn French
> or German in the past is that textbooks, published in the UK,
> would explain the mid front rounded vowels in those two languages
> by reference to the pronunciation of English <er>. Naturally,
> since most Americans speak rhotic dialects, this is entirely
> misleading and would only confuse speakers of French and
> German.
Of course, it's not much better with American textbooks describing
either English words with short o as 'ah' or foreign words with [A],
[a:] and similar sounds as short o. Except for the fact that Television
Does Educate.

--
Tristan.