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Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 3rd, 2015, 8:52 pm
by elban91
Háu mitákuyepi,

Back to basics here! How is the Lakota letter u pronounced?!! I have always heard it as /u/ (as in American English "boot" but without w-glide), but I've seen it described in some sources as /ʊ/ (as in American English "put")...

Also, does the Lakota sound /o/ exist in American English? Any examples? We have it in Cockney English ;)

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 3rd, 2015, 9:20 pm
by John Vander Veer
Elliot

Check this out:

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=447

John

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 4th, 2015, 12:57 am
by elban91
Hi John,

Thanks - I saw that, and "sue" (minus w-glide) makes sense to me as an analogy for Lakota u. I was just kinda surprised to see it described as /ʊ/ elsewhere.

Also, as an American English speaker, which of these English sounds closest to Lakota o as in tópa?:

  1. hot
  2. below (ignore the w-glide)
  3. more (ignore r-thingy)
Basically, I'm trying to see if I can come up with an English mneumonic that helps English speakers remember the sounds of the Lakota vowels. Something like "father went into..." (and that's where I got stuck).

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 4th, 2015, 4:55 am
by John Vander Veer
That would be #2.

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 4th, 2015, 6:00 pm
by elban91
Oháŋ, philámayaye ló.

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 4th, 2015, 10:55 pm
by elban91
While we're on the subject... In American English, which of the following vowels sounds closest to Lakota ?:

  1. Swamp
  2. Hunt

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 5th, 2015, 7:07 am
by Jana
I would say:
1. #2
2. sometimes #1 when followed by b or p (waŋblí, háŋpa), probably also depending on the speaker

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 5th, 2015, 8:38 am
by John Vander Veer
I'd say #1 but it is not even close.

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 5th, 2015, 9:17 am
by Jana
I am afraid you have to use a French word. ;) Was just checking for French words used in English - how about the fencing term "en guarde"? I have no idea though how it is pronounced in American English.
There is also "avant-garde", "Champs-Élysées" or "croissant"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_E ... nch_origin

Re: Lakota o and u

PostPosted: August 5th, 2015, 10:21 am
by John Vander Veer
Perhaps -- aunt ?