LL-L "Orthography" 2002.04.24 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 24.APR.2002 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
 Rules: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/rules.html>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
=======================================================================

From: erek gass <egass at caribline.com>
Subject: LL-L "Orthography" 2002.04.23 (03) [E]

Still, inconsisty abounds.  Yes, "occur" yields "occurred".  But "offer"
yields "offered".

----------

From: erek gass <egass at caribline.com>
Subject: LL-L "Orthography" 2002.04.23 (02) [E]

One inherent problem is obvious reading Kevin's e-mail.  "Envelop"
(pron. "en-VEL-up") is clearly a verb.  By adding the "e" at the end, we
have "envelope" (pron. EN-vel-op [last syllable riming with "hope"]).

For all the criticism of English spelling practices, "it ain't all bad,
folks".  If spelling reforms are brought about, let's be VERY careful
not "to throw out the baby with the bathwater" (my day for platitudes).

----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language varieties

Erek Gass wrote above:

> Still, inconsisty abounds.  Yes, "occur" yields "occurred".  But
> "offer" yields "offered".

I don't consider this an inconsistency (however much I love pointing out
the abundance of inconsistency in English orthography).

The difference appears to be due to stress allocation.  "Occur" is
stressed on the stem-final syllable: "occúr" [?O'k3(r)].  "Offer" is
stressed on the stem-initial syllable: "óffer" ['?Of@(r)].  If you wrote
*<occured> instead of <occurred>, it would suggest the pronunciation
*[?'kju@(r)d], as in <cured> [kju@(r)d], <allured> [?@'l(j)u@(r)d] and
<endured> [?In'dju@(r)d].  The spelling <rr> thus is necessary.  It is
not warranted in the case of <offered>, because, as far as I know, <rr>
requires the immediately preceeding syllable to carry primary stress;
thus, *<offerred> would suggest the pronunciation *"offérred"
*[?O'f3(r)d].

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

==================================END===================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
 * Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
=======================================================================