Comments on: Theta and Eth, your new Phonetic Phriends http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:27:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Joshua http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/#comment-469 Joshua Mon, 16 Jul 2007 07:31:09 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/#comment-469 Actually, I suspect that some young children are subconsciously aware of the difference between "theta" and "eth" before they can pronounce either one. The two "TH" sounds were probably the last English sounds that I learned to pronounce, which is why I can remember not being able to pronounce them. Until I was about 5 years old, if I was asked to repeat the sentence "Throw them the soap, and then they can take a bath," I would have pronounced it something like "Frow dem da soap, and den dey can take a baff." In other words, I pronounced theta like "f" and eth like "d". So the two "th"'s were clearly different sounds to me, even though I couldn't pronounce either one of them at the time. Actually, I suspect that some young children are subconsciously aware of the difference between “theta” and “eth” before they can pronounce either one. The two “TH” sounds were probably the last English sounds that I learned to pronounce, which is why I can remember not being able to pronounce them.

Until I was about 5 years old, if I was asked to repeat the sentence “Throw them the soap, and then they can take a bath,” I would have pronounced it something like “Frow dem da soap, and den dey can take a baff.” In other words, I pronounced theta like “f” and eth like “d”. So the two “th”’s were clearly different sounds to me, even though I couldn’t pronounce either one of them at the time.

]]> By: The glottal stop: your new Phonetic Phriend : Notes from a Linguistic Mystic http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/#comment-234 The glottal stop: your new Phonetic Phriend : Notes from a Linguistic Mystic Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:00:49 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/#comment-234 [...] of two pieces of tissue that move together and apart during speech, and vibrate rapidly to create voicing. Those pieces of tissue can be moved a great deal, and even brought all the way [...] […] of two pieces of tissue that move together and apart during speech, and vibrate rapidly to create voicing. Those pieces of tissue can be moved a great deal, and even brought all the way […]

]]> By: Ig-pay atin-lay: evealer-ray of onology-phay : Notes from a Linguistic Mystic http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/#comment-196 Ig-pay atin-lay: evealer-ray of onology-phay : Notes from a Linguistic Mystic Fri, 23 Mar 2007 03:49:15 +0000 http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/01/05/theta-and-eth-your-new-phonetic-phriends/#comment-196 [...] just moved to the back of the word. So, I’d expect it to be “anks-thay”, with a θ (the sound in “thistle”). This got me to thinking, why would this [...] […] just moved to the back of the word. So, I’d expect it to be “anks-thay”, with a θ (the sound in “thistle”). This got me to thinking, why would this […]

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