Rosa/rowz@

[Mark Mandel]

On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 1:00 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
> I am now unclear on the difference between rOs@
>  and rowz at .  Damian wrote he did not mean by the
>  latter "_row_ 'loud noise'", which is how I had
>  read it.  I would pronounce Rosa as "row" of "row
>  your boat", as I think is the English-American
>  way.  Which of the two symbolozations is that?
>
>  I don't know many American Sophias either, but I
>  wouldn't say s at fi:@] or [s at fai@ -- definitely so-fee- at .

These respellings are not in terms of English orthography, but
informal quasi-IPA, which we do a lot of on this list. In the above:

1. @ is schwa. You seem to be clear on that.
2. O = open o, low-mid rounded back vowel, as in "caught" for those
who distinguish it from "cot".
3. o = IPA o, high-mid rounded back vowel,
4. ow = a diphthong of o (#3 here) + w; that is, high-mid rounded back
vowel with an offglide rising and backing toward [u]

m a m

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