Don't touch my phonemes (was: minimal pairs ex: PIE e/o Ablaut)

[David L. White]

> On Thu, 16 Nov 2000 David L. White <dlwhite at texas.net> wrote:

>>        Look, either we admit that English speakers could coin
>>/lith/ vs /lidh/, whereas Japanese speakers could not coin /biri/
>>versus /bili/ or we (somewhat obstructionistically) do not.

> I say we admit it.  The question then becomes "what does it
> prove?"

        That they are different phonemes, according to my definition of that
concept, which I regard, for reasons which have been indicated and will not
be re-indicated, as more useful than yours, and which is hardly original
with or unique to me.
        And if I have an adoring public, could you point them in my
direction?

                                                            Dr. David L. White