Re: IPA (Was: Re: Hello, I'm new too)

On Sat, 21 Oct 2000, H. S. Teoh wrote:

> Oct 21, 2000 at 07:57:12PM -0400@
>
> On Sat, Oct 21, 2000 at 07:57:12PM -0400, Yoon Ha Lee wrote:
> [snip]
> > <helpless look>  Perhaps it's obvious to those who know more
> > phonology/phonetics than I do (I know very little).  I like IPA because
> > I can look it up, whereas with descriptions (tense obstruents) I get lost
> > very easily.
>
> Me too. In fact, I even have a problem understanding what some IPA sounds
> are... The laterals and trills completely elude me thus far (except for
> the simplest laterals like the English l). Then there are the unvoiced
> nasals, which I just can't figure out. In general, though, consonants
> cause me less grief than vowels... I just do not *get* the IPA vowel
> system. It seems to make fine distinctions in what are allophones to me,
> and not-fine-enough distinctions in what I consider heterophones.
<nodnod>  What I want to get, if I can save up the money (I'm
contemplating a beading-supply purchase so I can do that over winter
break), is the CD mentioned somewhere on the IPA website that has all the
sounds pronounced.  IPA claims that Korean "r" in certain contexts is /l/
but I hear two different l-like sounds in two different contexts.  Even
if they're allophones they sound different, darnit.  I really must ask my
mom about it this winter.

YHL