kartavnie

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Genevra Gerhart wrote:

> Dear Seelangers and linguists in particular:
>
> Question is: what is there about the Russian r and l that makes it difficult
> for some (Russian) people to pronounce correctly?
>
> _For the sake of this discussion_ we assume that kartavanie is an
> undesirable trait, and that it is, therefor worth eliminating. (We have
> heard of some parents willing to have their children operated on to
> eliminate the phenomenon.)
>
> Is the source of the problem physical (shape of mouth, for example), or
> cultural (grew up among Frenchmen)?  Are the people who do it, aware that
> they do?
>
> Are there similar or comparable lapses in other languages? (I have not come
> across any, but that isn't saying much.)

Lapses of sanity, you mean?

Apparently tongue surgery is all the rage with Korean parents wanting to
improve their children's English pronunciation.

<http://www.msnbc.com/news/981625.asp?cp1=1>

<http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/print.php?id=10969>

<http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4794AA93-CDAE-4E8C-BAEB-977E2DA59B0E.htm>
Same Reuters story at <http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031017/325/ebd5p.html>

<http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040105/KOREA05/International/Idx>

<http://www.iht.com/articles/53890.html>

And if you want it "from the horse's mouth":
<http://news.hankooki.com/life/novel/view.php?webtype=05&uid=213&ppage=1>

Chinese, too, apparently:
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2161780.stm>

Google search string:
        surgery korean tongue

--
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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