Why we should ignore Tom Zurinskas

[Gordon, Matthew J.]

Yes, I'm with BB here. All of the vowels Tom produced in his slide show are clearly diphthongal, even the high vowels (at least when he said them slowly the first time through). So, either Tom has the tinnest ear ever or, as Ron suggested earlier, he has a definition of diphthong that strays from any used in phonetics. I really don't think he has a tin ear so why don't you, Tom, explain what you mean by diphthong again. Or, better yet, look at the definitions in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphthong) or at SIL (http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsADiphthong.htm) and square them with your (mis)understanding.

Unlike the merits of the Truespel system, this is really not something that is a matter of debate. So, Tom, you're not being attacked for your opinions, but rather for your apparent refusal to remedy your ignorance of a pretty basic phonetic fact.

Matt Gordon


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Benjamin Barrett
Sent: Sun 5/4/2008 10:27 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject:      Re: Why we should ignore Tom Zurinskas
 
Which of the vowels that you offered proof for aren't diphthongs (or
daiphthongs as you call them)?

"I can't possibly believe that anybody believes" you. BB

On May 4, 2008, at 6:23 PM, Tom Zurinskas wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Tom Zurinskas <truespel at HOTMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Why we should ignore Tom Zurinskas
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Basically, I offered vocal proof that all long vowels are not
> diphthongs as Mark Mandel claims.  I can't possibly believe that
> anyone believes him.  And now we get this unabashed personal
> trashing.  For shame. shame shame.
>
> Someone teach this guy how to send us voice files so we can hear
> examples of his long vowels as diphthongs.
>
> Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
> See truespel.com - and the 4 truespel books plus "Occasional Poems"
> at authorhouse.com.
>
>> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 15:24:24 -0400
>> From: thnidu at GMAIL.COM
>> Subject: Why we should ignore Tom Zurinskas
>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender: American Dialect Society
>> Poster: Mark Mandel
>> Subject: Why we should ignore Tom Zurinskas
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> (This is a slightly expanded repost of a message I sent in the thread
>> on "the long vowels as monophthongs". I think it will be of value to
>> those listmembers who still believe that Mr. Z. can be educated.)
>>
>> Mr. Zurinskas has been peddling his wacko ideas for at least twenty
>> years and is proud of his ignorance -- or, as I suppose he thinks of
>> it, his refusal to compromise his God-given instinct by listening to
>> anyone who knows anything about the subject. This includes not taking
>> classes, not reading books or articles, and, of course, brushing off
>> anything said to him here that conflicts with his notions. Nothing we
>> can say will sway such deep-rooted obtuseness. Save your breath, save
>> your fingertips, save your electrons, time, and energy and put him on
>> your kill list.
>>
>> Of course, that won't help if you get the digest version. That was my
>> single most compelling reason for switching my subscription.
>>
>> Mark A. Mandel
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
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