--- In cybalist@..., "Mark Odegard" <markodegard@...> wrote:
> This links to an article about Japanese/English differences when it
comes to
> 'hearing' a language.
>
> http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20010205wo61.htm
>
> It occurs to me certain of the 'problems' of IE phonology might be
parsed in
> these terms. I'm thinking of glottalized ejectives (which are very
strange
> indeed). Could PIE phonology have been so different from what IE is
today,
> that a conceptual or even neurological gap in understanding exists?
>
> Answering my own question, I don't think so, but would not mind
reading why.
As might be expected, I have some ideas on that too:)
I made up a general rule:
You can't make a a distinction between two phonemes in a foreign
language, if they make up a shibboleth (social or national) allophone
pair in your own language.
In Danish a/o is a low/high status Shibboleth (imitation upper
class affected speech "Gammel Halte" for "Gammel Holte" (town north
of Copenhagen, in the "whisky belt")). Consequently, I can't tell or
make a difference between "hut" and "hot" in English.
Conversely, glide vs. non-glide eg. "a" is Standard vs.
Scottish/Irish accented English. And it is almost impossible to un-
teach English-speakers to glide on foreign vowels. It seems to cause
them physical discomfort. They squirm if you force them to.
Also I noted something about Japanese:
They don't have a proper "u". They don't have a proper "f". They are
also extremely shy. It is as if rounding your lips (pouting(?)) in
public might possibly cause embarassment, therefore is avoided.
Torsten