Re: Danish: tonal suffices?

On Thu, 6 Jul 2000 22:44:42 +0200 daniel andreasson
<daniel.andreasson@...> writes:
> Steg:
> > You mean an approximant `ayin?
> > That was exactly how the "Teach Yourself Arabic" book i tried to
> > use a few years ago described the sound.
>
> Like a throwing up sound? That's it then. I think it also sounds
> like a tiger growling, but I can't try it here at the office, so
> I can only imagine it in my head. I think I would get strange looks
> oterhwise. Hm. That might actually be the fricative and not the
> approximant come to think of it. (The tiger growl that is).
>
> Daniel
-

I wish i could remember it, but i learned once that of all the "home
remedy" style medicines that are mentioned in the Talmud, later Jewish
legal authorities prohibited the use of all of them (because, depending
on your viewpoint, we don't understand how they work or people back then
weren't as knowledgeable in medicine as we are now) except for the "cure
for a bone stuck in your throat".

This remedy involves placing a bone of the same animal on your head, and
saying a certain sentence.
So, why is this the only remedy allowed to be used?
Because it works!

1. Placing the bone on your head necesitates you to balance it, tilting
your head back and making it easier for the bone to come back up.
2. The sentence given consists almost entirely of the pharyngeal
consonants _hhet_ (voiceless fricative) and _`ayin_ (voiced fricative),
which are made by the same muscles used in regurgitation!

So you're actually opening up your esophogus and vomitting out the bone.

If only i could remember how the sentence went....it probably sounds much
cooler that i am able to pronounce both of the pharyngeals now.

Of course, it only works if you can pronounce the consonants
properly....and the heimlich probably is more certain of working.


-Stephen (Steg)
 "do not fear sudden terror, nor destruction by the wicked, if it comes."