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Re: Alborgian/ Borgi

From:Tristan McLeay <conlang@...>
Date:Wednesday, May 28, 2008, 22:43
On 29/05/08 05:57:01, Ingmar Roerdinkholder wrote:
> > Thanks Weeping Elf! eLf with a Lateral as weLL I guess? > but, how are the different kinds of L called. The LL in Arabic aLLah > or English > aLL, and the L in English leap or Arabic Layl?
The "l" in RP "all" is called a dark or velarised l or in full a voiced velarised alveolar lateral approximate. The "l" in RP "leap" is called a clear l or in full a voiced alveolar lateral approximate. The LL in Arabic "Allah" is an emphatic or pharyngealised l (i.e. a voiced pharyngealised alveolar lateral approximate). The place of articulation with "-ised" means that a central (i.e. non-lateral) approximate is made in this area. It depends on the native language whether it begins before, concurrently with, or after the lateral approximate. Note also that the distribution of English "l" is particular to the dialect. Many dialects of the British isles only use the clear l (either because they always have, or because of influence from Celtic languages, or because the dark l has been vocalised) whereas others and Australian English only uses the dark l (either because of influence from Celtic languages or because the velarising tendency that apparently grew up in the 19th century spread to all tokens). American English uses both, but the distribution is apparently different from RP. I can't tell you exactly what it is; I expect it's only different when it is has vowels on both sides. -- Tristan.

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Eric Christopherson <rakko@...>