Re: Dublex/Katanda hybrid

Javier BF scripsit:

> English speakers pronounce amazing consonant clusters
> without even noticing it (think of "staRTS STRongly",
> "ploNKeD Down", "caN'T TRy", "woulDN'T CLaim"...).
STReNGTHS.

> And neither English speakers themselves seem to have
> problems with geminates when they remain unaware of
> being pronouncing them, such as in "night train" or
> "whole land", which don't sound the same as
> "night rain" and "whole and".
Actually, this distinction is not one of gemination.  In "night train",
the /t/ is pronounced with aspiration, i.e. as an initial, and the
final /t/ remains only to the extent that it keeps the preceding diphthong
short (as opposed to "nigh train", where it is long).  In "night rain",
the /t/ is pronounced as a final, i.e. typically with a glottal stop.

As for "whole land" and "whole and", "and" is pronounced /@n/ unless
special stress is placed on it, so here again there is no real question
of phonetic or phonological gemination.

--
John Cowan <jcowan@...>     http://www.reutershealth.com
I amar prestar aen, han mathon ne nen,    http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
han mathon ne chae, a han noston ne 'wilith.  --Galadriel, _LOTR:FOTR_