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<p><tt>Bryan wrote:</tt><br>
<tt>> One thing I recall reading in a<br>
> typology text (and the reason for the use of the language<br>
> "distributed" as opposed to "apical") is that languages which<br>
> distinguish /s/ from /s^/ always tend to distinguish an apical<br>
> pronunciation (in which the articulator-site contact area is small)<br>
> from a distributed pronunciation (in which the same area is large). If<br>
> this is not true for OP, then OP would be a typological rarity, on the<br>
> same level as certain Indo-Aryan languages with a three-way<br>
> distinction among alveolar fricatives!</tt><br>
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<tt>So does this mean that in English /s/ is "apical" and /s^/ is "distributed"? I think I'd agree that the articulator-site contact area for /s/ is small, and for /s^/ is large, in the way I form them. But doesn't the term "apical" refer to the tip of something, rather than the size of the articulator-site contact area? I assumed it meant a sound made with the tip of the tongue. For me, both /s/ and /s^/ are made with the tip or leading edge of the tongue, or maybe the top of the leading margin for /s/.</tt><br>
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<tt>Rory</tt><br>
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