Re: Questions and Impressions of Basque
| From: | John Cowan <jcowan@...> |
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| Date: | Wednesday, September 1, 2004, 4:18 |
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John Quijada scripsit:
> As for Basque 3-way sibilant distinction z, s, and x (X-SAMPA /s/, /s`/
Basque s isn't really backed enough to be retroflex. Rather, what's
happening is that more of the edge of the tongue is touching the palate
than in Basque z, causing the frication to occur at the tongue tip.
This produces a sort of cross between [s] and a whistle.
> distinction for both sibilants and affricates is found in Mandarin.
Mandarin x is not at all like Basque s: it's made with the tip of the
tongue behind the *lower* teeth. Its X-SAMPA representation is [s\].
--
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that is not wittily expressed. John Cowan
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