Re: English syllable structure

From: "Nik Taylor"

> Tristan Alexander McLeay wrote:
> > Erm? I didn't realise there was any other pronunciation (although when I
> > was younger, I used to pronounce it /nIkj@"rA:gju@/
> I've *only* ever heard /'nIk@"rAgw@/ or /nikA'*AgwA/ (* = tap), the
> second being an approximation of the original Spanish pronunciation.
/nIk@rA:gju@/ sounds distinctly British (BBC) to my ears. Too, the car
"Jaguar" pronounced à la britannique sounds like  /dZ&gju@/. Just yesterday,
there was an ad on the local classical music station where they started with
a Brit extolling the virtues of /dZ&gju@/ craftsmanship. Then on came the
local New England Jag dealer going on about how great /dZ&gju@z/ were
(rather than using the typical American /dZ&gwar/). Once, I could put up
with (emphasizing the /gju/), but he kept saying it over and over (not for
humor). Really trying too hard, me thinks (unless, there's some snooty
explanation that /dZ&gju@/ refers to the bazillion dollar car, dahling,
while /dZ&gwar/ refers to the mere animal).

Similarly, /nikA'*AgwA/ (* = tap)(and sth funky happens to the "g", too [can
produce it; can't describe it]), pronounced by anglos (or Hispanic news
correspondents trying to get ethnic) sounds forced.

>And on Puerto Rico, am I the only one here who uses and >hears /pw/ there?
Back in the day, I more often heard /pOrto/ (/porto/?). Perhaps due to the
growing Hispanic population or greater sensitivity or both, /pwErto/ seems
to have gained/be gaining currency in this neck of the woods.

Kou

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