ah/ awe

[Tom Zurinskas]

Mark,

I know it's a dream.  But I think the quest toward one optimal pronunciatoin
of English dialect for best communication is a good thing.  I don't know why
you can't fashion this.  For an applicaiton think of air traffic control.
The standard is English.  The clearest pronunciation should be taught.

Tom Z

>From: "Mark A. Mandel" <mamandel at ldc.upenn.edu>
>
>1.  You are an amateur with an interest in language -- nothing wrong with
>that!
Actually, I'm a professional.  I've made a few bucks selling books.

>2.  You think that because you're a native speaker of English, and because
>of your own studies and thoughts about it, you know everything that needs
>to
>be known about the subject and don't need to pay attention to people who
>actually have made a career of studying language in general and/or English
>in particular. That is a grave error.
>  Example:
>  -  >> How would you deal, e.g., with the diphthongal i with which most
>northerners pronounce /light, sight, might/, &c? -- > I'm not familiar with
>that dipthong.
I'm just dealing with the m-w.com vowel in "right" right now.

>3.  While spelling and grammar certainly don't correlate with intelligence,
>education, or professionalism, there are traditional standards for them,
>and
>your lack of adherence to those standards does not recommend you--
>especially since you claim authority in, and propose to uphold, traditional
>standards of language.
>  Examples:
>  - Any alterations that lessen this is not a good thing.
>  - [...] why should we in this day and age have them when we talk.
>  - dipthong
>  - two-phthongs
And your point is?


>4.  For success in your quest to standardize USA English pronunciation, I
>suggest that you turn to prayer. No earthly force has ever succeeded in
>achieving such a goal in a population so large, diverse, and widespread. I
>see no reason whatsoever to believe that you will be successful either, and
>no reason to wish that you should.
Prayer's good.  I like the "My Fair Lady" story.  You like standards.  Why
would you not like the idea of a standard dialect for optimal communication.

>
>-- Mark A. Mandel
>    Linguistic Data Consortium, University of Pennsylvania
>    [This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]
>
>

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