Newsgroups: sci.lang
From: Kitt@cary.demon.co.uk (Kittredge Cowlishaw)
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!demon!cary.demon.co.uk!Kitt
Subject: Re: H and digraphs thereof
References: <37t514$fq7@grivel.une.edu.au>
Organization: The Old School House
Reply-To: Kitt@cary.demon.co.uk
X-Newsreader: Demon Internet Simple News v1.29
Lines: 30
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 1994 08:31:27 +0000
Message-ID: <782555487snz@cary.demon.co.uk>
Sender: usenet@demon.co.uk

jvaux@metz.une.edu.au "Julie Vaux" writes:
>         I personally have seen it H used in initial, medail, and final
>         positions in 3 ways -
>            Glottal fricatives
>            Aspiration of consonants
>            Vowel quality of colloquialisms
[discussion of Chinese romanization systems deleted]

Don't forget Gwoyeu Romatzyh (National Romanization),
                           ^
in which final 'h' is used to indicate fourth tone.

>         [...] ( As a classicist I continually find
>         myself slipping into a katherousa form of pronounciation [...]
>
>         European languages need a consistent standard of digraphs for
>         velar and uvular fricatives - either that or compulsory spelling
>         spelling reform throughout Europe and the English will compete
>         with the French to see who can whinge the most about it!
>
>         Nh - the elegant viet solution to writing the voiced palatal nasal.
>         Pity the French Itlaians and Spanish dont consider adopting it?
>
>         [...]  I feel we need a standard for digraphs on the
>         Internet for it will benefit langauge discussions.

Um, are you sure you would be comfortable with compulsory spelling reform?
:-)

--Kittredge
