Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 14:37:01 -0600

From: Samuel Jones smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU

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.











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