tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Dec 07 20:46:17 1996

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RE: KBLC: letter pronounciations



December 07, 1996 7:02 PM, jatlh 'olIva':

> Actually, the sound I'm least sure about is "S".
> (I still haven't got the tapes.)
> Well, English "sh" is pronounced with the tip of the tongue slightly
> further back than for "s", isn't it?
> At one point, Marc Okrand says (I think) that "S" is half-way between "s"
> and "sh", so the tip of the tongue should be intermediate between these
> two positions, shouldn't it?
> But he then says (I think) that "S" is pronounced with the tip of the
> tongue in the same position as for "D", i.e. half-way between the teeth
> and that part of the roof of the mouth which is rather "gooshy", which
> seems to be much further back than for "sh", doesn't it?
> This seems inconsistent to me. Or have I got something wrong here?

When Okrand says that {S} is a cross between "s" and "sh," he means that it 
*sounds* like that.  He's not referring to where you put your tongue when you 
say it.

The description of {S} being produced in a similar position as {D} is correct. 
 It's called a retroflex.  Come to the next qep'a' and Mark Mandel can show 
you some of his hand diagrams!

> Maybe it would make sense if I got the tapes...

HISlaH!

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 96936.8


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