[csail-related] GSB Tonight: Vowels

[jamoozy at gmail.com (Andrew Sabisch)]

Have you noticed how unreasonably variant English vowels are?  I mean,
think about it: A has 3 sounds, E 2, I 2, O 3, and U 4!  Diversity is
great, and all ... but not in vowels.

I first noticed this last week.  I was helping my wife with her German
homework [1] and I couldn't get my mind around how she determined which
sounds to use for the vowels.  She was pronouncing things completely
inconsistently.   A's tended to have about 3 different sounds, E's about 2
.... and suddenly -- as I went through the sounds -- it occurred to me: I
think English has damaged her brain [2].

So then, that got me thinking, what if there were more variation in our
consonants?  I was thinking, maybe we should give them a bit more leeway.
 Why can't they be as free as the vowels?  They would certainly reap all
the benefits that the vowels have [3].  Then again, come to think of it, C
is the most annoying consonant ever [4].  I mean, are you an S or a K?
 Both and neither.  It seems to be a quantum consonant [5].

Let's try konsentrating on removing C from the English language [6], at
this week's:


*Girl Skout Benefit*
*5:30 pm ? 32-D4 S. Lounge*

For those koming from elsewhere: Building 32 is here:
http://whereis.mit.edu/map-jpg?selektion=32
Onse you are in 32, just take the D-elevator
to the 4th floor and you will be looking at us.
http://projekts.ksail.mit.edu/gsb



[1] The sign of a truly devoted spouse: learning your first language.
[2] Although, not more than any other English speaker, in all probability.
[3] I can't think of any benefits other than the occasional pinch-hit in
un-spell-checked IMs.
[4] Make up your mind, C!  No one needs you!  Except maybe the Spanish ...
[5] Einstein called it "spooky spelling at a distance", I think.
[6] The only downside here, is that the links won't work any more ... meh,
worth it for one email.