Re: question's

["David Trimboli" <SuStel@hotmail.com>]

From: "DloraH" <DloraH@kli.org>

> > I know that '  is a stop in sound sort of like smalll tsu is in
> > Japanese.  How does that work when the   '  is at the beginning
> > of a word, especially if the sentance starts with that word?
>
> When you say a word in english starting with a vowel, you are including a
'.

Indeed.  All English words that seem to begin with vowels actually begin
with glottal stops.  Some languages actually have words that begin with
glottal-vowel and others words that actually begin with vowels.

Consider the archetypical glottal stop illustration: "uh-oh."  I'll use
apostrophes in the English word to point out the glottal stops:

'uh-'oh

This word has TWO glottal stops in it.  Without any glottal stops at all the
word will sound a little like "uuhoh."  You sort of glide into the vowel
instead of stomping into it.

I was once demonstrating this to some coworkers using the word "apple."  I'd
say 'apple, then I'd say apple.  They insisted it was the same word, but I
was making the difference very plain, if you know how to hear initial
glottal stops.  Then the guys in the Mac tech office came over and demanded
to know what I wanted.

EVERY Klingon word begins with a consontant (/'/ is a consonant).  To an
English speaker, the Klingon word /'IghvaH/ sounds like it begins with a
vowel.  Native Klingon speakers would probably have the same trouble
distinguishing /'IghvaH/ and */IghvaH/ that English speakers do with 'apple
and apple.

SuStel
Stardate 2218.1