LL-L: "Pronunciation" LOWLANDS-L, 27.AUG.2000 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

 ======================================================================
  L O W L A N D S - L * 27.AUG.2000 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
  Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
  Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
  User's Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
  Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
  =======================================================================
  A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
  LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
  =======================================================================

From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
Subject: Pronunciation

Friday's "Daily Telegraph" contained the following in an article headed
"Umlaut explains why Germans look so sauer".

Professor David Myers, a psychologist from Hope College, Michigan,
said -speaking at the Royal Society of Edinburgh - "Germans are regarded as

grumpy and humourless because their language includes sounds that make them

frown when speaking. The harsh language causes Germans to exercise facial
muscles involved in frowning and looking sad, as frequently demonstrated by

Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Umlauts on vowels such as "u" cause the mouth
to turn down. The English sounds of "e" and "ah", on the other hand, create

happy faces."

The German consulate in Edinburgh refused to comment. The subject was "too
scientific," it said.

I assume that Low Saxons have to be included with HG speakers for this
purpose. Since similar sounds to those represented by G. "ä", "ö", "ü"
exist
in French and Swedish (at least) I am slightly doubtful about the
thoroughness of this research.

John Feather johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk

==================================END===================================
  You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
  request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
  as message text from the same account to
  <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
  <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
  =======================================================================
  * Please submit contributions to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
  * Contributions will be displayed unedited in digest form.
  * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
  * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
    to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
    <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
  * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
    type of format, in your submissions
  ======================================================================