Re: non-phonetic english spelling

From: John A Rea (j.rea2_at_insightbb.com)
Date: 12/28/04 

Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 01:30:24 GMT

Greg Lee wrote:
> John A Rea <j.rea2@insightbb.com> wrote:
> ...
>
>>In phonology, this term and its symbol are often called "the (note
>>the definite article) reduced vowel.
>
>
> That definite article can have a phonetic interpretation: schwa
> is that unique vowel which is unrounded, not front, not back,
                                 ^^^^^^^^^
Yet descriptions of French phonetics and French phonology
usually describe the vowel they call "mute e" or "schwa"
as being rounded. But on this one had best check with
native speakers of "French"

                Jack
> not low, not long, and, in fact, lacks every positive articulatory
> character other than that of being a vowel. I think it is
> really confusing to associate a phonetic symbol with a
> functional phonological theory, trying to decide whether
> something is a schwa according to whether it is a release,
> arises from vowel reduction, is epenthetic, or whatever.
> ...

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