Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 14:37:01 -0600 From: Samuel Jones Subject: Re: Epenthetic [l] in _home_ An Herrn Professor Bergdahl: O-K-L-A-h-o-m-a? Yup! O-A-K-L-A-h-o-m-a? Nope!! Epenthesis rears its head in all sorts of interesting ways. In the instance you note, part of the reason for the epenthetic "l" may have to do with the diphthonging of the "O"[o + short "u"]. As the lips round and closure proceeds, the lower jaw rises. Inside the mouth, the tongue also rises [I know! I know! " "The sun also . . ."]. When the word ends, for example, in the "m-m-m" sound--bi-labial continuant, nasal, semi-consonant--(Whatever you call it, it's still a vowel sound with something in the way!), the apex of the tongue moves quite close to the palatal or alveolar position needed for the lateral continuant "L," which easily may become a "continuant bridge-sound" (sort of an advanced guard) to the full oral closure of the bi-labial continuant "m-m-m" sound. Further, though "C" dialect English does not recommend pronouncing the "L" in calm, balm, psalm, palm, many people do, perhaps because of the position proximity of the "L" and the "M." (?) H-m-m-m?? Obviously, I've an advanced case of logorrhea. ____________________________________________________________________________ DR. SAMUEL M. JONES INTERNET: smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]facstaff.wisc.edu Prof. of Music & Latin American Studies TELNET: samjones[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]macc.wisc.edu 5434 Humanities Building FAX: 608 + 262-8876 (UW) 455 North Park Street __________________________________________ University of Wisconsin-Madison TELEPHONES: 608 + 263-1900 (UW-Lv. message) Madison, WI 53706-1483 * 608 + 263-1924 * (UW-Office - * VOICE MAIL--Lv message) ____________________________________________________________________________ "Pen-y-Bryn" TELEPHONES: 608 + 233-2150 (Home) 122 Shepard Terrace 608 + 233-4748 (Home) Madison, WI 53705-3614 ____________________________________________________________________________