Xref: utzoo comp.fonts:2588 soc.culture.german:4405 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!munnari.oz.au!cs.mu.OZ.AU!mullauna!tja From: tja@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Tim ARNOLD) Newsgroups: comp.fonts,soc.culture.german Subject: Re: how many vowels in English? Message-ID: Date: 28 May 91 02:04:44 GMT References: <1991May22.141034.12747@pbs.org> <1991May26.225637.31078@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> Sender: news@cs.mu.OZ.AU Organization: Comp Sci, University of Melbourne, Australia Lines: 24 665instr@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Ian) writes: >In article , arktik@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Ryan Daum) writes: [deleted stuff about 14 vowels v. 5.5 vowels] There are two meanings of vowel 1) the more open sounds uttered in speech 2) letter representing this, as a, e, i, o, u; OED Choose your definition and it might be a little easier to agree! >> For example, the "au" combination is not pronounced "a-u" ... it's a >> single sound therefore it's a seperate vowel? That's correct for this particular combination but not for "oi" and others as many of you singers or phonetics scholars will know. Hence you can argue about the number of different sounds that match 1) but 2) is clear and precise and quantifiable. Hence it is usually assumed when someone asks "How many ...?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Arnold | Law/Science (Computer Science) | simil iustus tja@cs.mu.oz.AU | The University of Melbourne | et peccator =============================================================================