Dear Ven. Sujato and Dave,

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Bhante Sujato" <sujato@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Dave,
>
> You're right, 'c' should always be pronounced 'ch' (unaspirated). I
> haven'y heard the tape you refer to , but there may be some mistake
> there.

The problem with the English 'ch' sound as in 'church' is that it is
an affricate in alveolar position. This is represented by the symbols
of the International Phonetic Alphabet as a digraph: t + an elongated
s for sh, the t and sh being pronounced simultaneously. On the other
hand, the Pali 'c' is to be pronounced further back in the mouth as a
palatal (taaluja) according to classical Indian phonetics and nothing
is said about it being an affricate.

One could compromise by pronouncing something like an English 'ch' in
palatal position which is what I do but it can easily be mistaken for
a 'k' when heard by others. According to Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Primer,
it seems that English once had a sound corresponding to Pali 'c' in
palatal position (marked in the primer as a 'c' with a dot above it).

Similar considerations can also be given to the English affricate 'j'.

Best wishes,
Jim