Re: [ADS-L] "But to cks"

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 11/8/06 9:22:24 AM, truespel at HOTMAIL.COM writes:


> 1.  The "t" in USA English is often pronounced "d".  I wonder how often 
> that
> is.
> 2.  Schwa stands for several sounds.
> 
> Truespel book 3 (beginner's dictionary) is th e only one I know of (any
> others?) that shows all schwas spelled out into various sounds.  Also it
> shows alternative spellings for "d" for "t" substitution, and glottal stop
> substitutions for ending "t".
> 
> 

1. It is not a [d], it is a flapped [r].
2. A schwa is a schwa is a schwa. There are also barred-[i]'s   of various 
kinds. Dictionaries are not always consistent about what they show in unstressed 
syllables, but then it really doesn't make any difference whether one says 
"buttock" with a schwa, a lower barred-[i] or a higher barred-[i]. For that 
matter, one can pronounce the last syllable with a low central or back rounded or 
unrounded vowel and it will not make any difference at all, except it may 
sound a little stilted. 

This is all well known to linguists.

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