Re: lojban 'a'

[Logical Language Group <lojbab@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>]

>While we're on the subject, does anyone have a chart showing the
>distingushing characteristics of the lojban phonemes? Especially the
>vowels.
>
>I'm also curious about a chart of minimally contrastive pairs, and
>what, if any, allophones exist.

The book, Chapter 3, goes into this at considerable length.  No chart,
though, as I recall.

Minimally contrasting pairs is not especially useful for defining Lojban
phonetics.  All possible values of CV for Lojban consonants and vowels are
valid words, and hence provide a comprehensive set of totally meaningless
minimal pairs except for the VV diphthings, and those can be covered
by any number of CVV words, most of which are also valid words.

In general the vowels are defined as being ideally at positional
extremes: hi front, hi back, mid front, mid back, and open, all preferably
tense to contrast with the lax medial y.  Roundedness is not significant.
The 5 Romance vowels are probably good  examples for a/e/i/o/u.

lojbab
----
lojbab                                                lojbab@access.digex.net
Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-1303 USA                        703-385-0273
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