Q; pronouncing "Fukushima"

[Lisa Galvin]

Yes, the first two vowels are both at least devoiced, not sure if they are completely voiceless. Keep in mind, I did live in northeastern Japan, years ago, so I'm relying mostly on memory here, not on my expertise in Japanese phonology. 
 
Lisa



                                                   


 

> Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:22:19 -0400
> From: faber at HASKINS.YALE.EDU
> Subject: Re: Q; pronouncing "Fukushima"
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: Alice Faber <faber at HASKINS.YALE.EDU>
> Organization: Haskins Laboratories
> Subject: Re: Q; pronouncing "Fukushima"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> On 3/28/11 3:19 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
> > At 3:08 PM -0400 3/28/11, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> >> Is it FOO-koo-SHEE-mah (large accent on SHEE) or foo-Koo-shih-MAH
> >> (small or no accent on Koo, larger but still slight on MAH)? I had
> >> heard only the former until once hearing a Brit (perhaps from BBC,
> >> perhaps only CNN international) use the latter.
> >>
> >> (My presumption is that the latter is correct, given what I think I
> >> was told once about hi-Roh-shih-MAH.)
> >>
> >> Joel
> >
> > The latter may be "correct", but the former is inevitable. I suppose
> > we Americans could manage
> > fu-KU-shi-ma if we were asked to, maybe even with secondary stress at
> > the end, but fu-ku-shi-MA? Doubtful.
> >
> 
> I would want to know, also, whether either of the vowels in the two
> first syllables is voiceless.
> 
> --
> ==============================================================================
> Alice Faber faber at haskins.yale.edu
> Haskins Laboratories tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
> New Haven, CT 06511 USA fax (203) 865-8963
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