Date:  Wed, 3 Jan 1996 08:33:39 PST

From:  "//www.usa.net/~ague" <ague[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]REDRCK.ENET.DEC.COM>

Subject: aspiration



Having just read a little about Irish Gaelic, and seeing how many consonants

are aspirated in the language, leads me to wonder how the English "ph" sound

should really be pronounced.



Should it really be formed like the "f", or is it different? If today "f" and

"ph" are formed the same, was there a time when they had two differents sounds?



For me, both the "f" and "ph" are formed with upper front teeth on lower lip,

mouth slightly open. But I can imagine the true "ph" having the upper lip

playing the role of the upper teeth. Much like aspirating the "p" sound.



-- Jim