Re: CHAT: IPA Question

Adam Kasanof wrote:

> How do the formal definitions
> for the IPA character sounds (whatever those definitions are) account for this
> problem?
There are formal definitions for the consonants based on place and
manner of articulation: for example, ENG is a velar nasal.

Vowels are taught primarily through an oral tradition: there are a
set of "cardinal vowels" which are more extreme than vowels actually
used in languages, and the manner of pronouncing these is passed
down from phonetician to phonetician.

--
John Cowan      http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              cowan@ccil.org
        You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
        You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
                Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)