Linguistics discussion (split from new factions thread)

[Elmetiacos]

I've read that before. Sometimes I think our ancestors must have gone around with really bad sore throats.

[Ibrahim]

I've read that before. Sometimes I think our ancestors must have gone around with really bad sore throats.

yeah, true that.

but does anyone here bow what those wierd sounds are (the kw, bw, and gw are about?

and is that crossed h like an arabic ha' sound? (like a really think h I guess is the best way to put it)

[bovi]

As far as I can remember there are three different H's in Arabic: the guttural, the short (like latin H) and the "breathing" one? It's been 10 years since I learned the tiny bit I know though.

[Ibrahim]

As far as I can remember there are three different H's in Arabic: the guttural, the short (like latin H) and the "breathing" one? It's been 10 years since I learned the tiny bit I know though.

you got it only partly right:

1-gutteral H (that's what I was asking about)
2-normal h (like english)

otherwise, there are no other h-sounds. here is a chart of consonents for Arabic, as per IPA (classical arabic, from the 6th-9th century AD)*:

alif=ʔ
ba'=b
ta'=t
tha'=θ
gim=ɟ or gʲ (simultanious g and y (as in yet)
ha'(gutteral)=ħ
kha'=χ
dal=d
dhal=ð
ra'=r
zayn=z
seen=s or ʃ (it did vary)
sheen=ç
tsad=sˤ
dad=ɬˤ
ta'=tˤ
dha'=ðˤ
ayin=ʕ
ghayin=ʁ
fa'=f
qaf=q
kaf=k
lam=l
meem=m
nun=n
ha'=h
waw=w
ya'= j

*classical pronunciation =/= modern pronunciation. the ta' marbutah was either pronunced /h/ or /t/

[gamegeek2]

The crossed h makes the same sound as Arabic Ha (the one that's like the Jim and Kha, the guttural one). The normal one is like the H in english. I'm learning Arabic right now, have the alphabet pretty much down and am just starting to learn speaking it...

kw is like Latin qu. Someone translate Howis 'Ekwoseskwe into Latin, please.

[gamegeek2]

Here's another fable, The King and the God (Reks deiwos-kwe)

Proto-Indo-European

To rēks 'est. So-kwe ngntos 'est. Sūnum-kwe wlnet so gʰuterom prsket "Sūnus moi gnjotām!" Gʰutḗr nu rēgom wewkwet: "Ewekʰo gʰi deiwom Wérunom." Upo pro rēks-kwe djēm sesore djēm-kwe ewekʰto. "Kludʰi me, pater Wérune!" So nu kmta deiwos kāt. "Kwod wlnesi?" "Wlnemi sūnum." "Tod éstu," wewkwet leukos deiwos. Rēkos potni gʰi sūnum gegone.

Proto-Indo-Iranian

Ta rāgs āst. Sa-ka ajātás āst, sū́num-ka ávr̥nat sa gʰutrám̥ ápr̥skat “Sūnus mai gnjatām!” Gʰutār nu rāgam avaukat: “Avagʰe gʰi dēvam Varu̥nam.” Upa pra rāgs-ka dēvam sásara dēvam-ka ávagʰta. “Srudʰí ma, pitár Váru̥ne!" Sa nu káta dēvas gāt. “Kad vr̥nasi?” “Vr̥nami sū́num”. “Tat éstu," ávaukat rauķás dḗvas. Rāgas patnī gʰi sū́num gágana.

Once there was a king. He was childless. The king wanted a son. He asked his priest: "May a son be born to me!" The priest said to the king: "Pray to the god Werunos". The king approached the god Werunos to pray now to the god. "Hear me, father Werunos!" The god Werunos came down from heaven. "What do you want?" "I want a son." "Let this be so", said the bright god Werunos. The king's lady bore a son.

[Ibrahim]

The crossed h makes the same sound as Arabic Ha (the one that's like the Jim and Kha, the guttural one). The normal one is like the H in english. I'm learning Arabic right now, have the alphabet pretty much down and am just starting to learn speaking it...

kw is like Latin qu. Someone translate Howis 'Ekwoseskwe into Latin, please.

that is correct (basically what I said)

and thanks for clarifying the kw thingy.

[Elmetiacos]

All the consonants with the little w's are "labialised" consonants, meaning that you pronounce them at the same time as rounding your lips.