tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 18 17:26:26 1996

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Re: q and Q (was: help with this.)

ja' charghwI':
>All this discussion about {q} {Q} and {H} have me stunned by the
>recognition that it would be impossible to hear the difference
>between {baQa'} and {*baqHa'*}. Perhaps this is why there is no
>verb {*baq*}? Or perhaps Okrand merely misunderstood Maltz?

I think Holtej misspoke when he described {Q} as {q} followed
immediately by {H}.  I pronounce the fricative portion of {Q}
much further back in my mouth than I do {H}, as I believe it
is described in TKD:

"To produce Klingon {q}, the main body of the tongue touches
the roof of the mouth at a point farther back than it does for
{gh} or {H}.... {Q}...is identical to {q} except that is very
gutteral and raspy and strongly articulated, ->somewhat<- [my
emphasis] like a blend of Klingon {q} and {H}."

The place of articulation is not the same for {q} and {H}.

>Or perhaps there is some subtle difference between {Q} and {qH}
>that we don't universally recognize?

*I* don't think the difference is subtle at all.

>And this complicate the pronunciation of {beQHa'}?

{-QH-} is perhaps a difficult combination, but I myself find {-Dt-}
just as tricky.  I always had trouble pronouncing {yoDtargh} without
concentrating *very* hard on where my tongue was going.

-- ghunchu'wI'

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