fricativizate this!

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

<<I bet that fricativization  overrides position in this
case, perceptually>>

The difference between the voiced velar stop  [g] (what most people call the
"hard G") and the voiced velar fricative is ONLY one distinctive feature, and
not a very noticeable one at that for speakers of English when it is in the
middle of the word (e.g., the word AGAIN pronounced with a voiced velar
fricative doesn't even sound very foreign--it ev en happens from time to
time).

However, the difference between [g] and the "soft G" (the voiced alveopalatal
africate) is BOTH postional AND mannerial. People think of the voiced
alveopalatal africate AS "the soft G."

In class, try saying AGAIN with the velar fricative. Then try saying AGAIN
with the voiced alveopalatal africate. Which one will people notice?