Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 22:33:28 -0600

From: "Donald M. Lance" engdl[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU

Subject: Re: nasal flaps?



Garland Bills wrote:



Well and good, Don, but I bet you can't do that without leaving

the velum lowered for the flap/tap! Otherwise, you described quite well

the sound we're concerned with. It is indeed a nasal flap/tap. If someone

wants to call it a "nasalized" flap/tap, fine; that's accurate. (But they

-- or he, if you prefer -- should also be willing to characterize [n] as a

"nasalized stop".



Right. It would be very difficult if not impossible to close off the

naso-pharynx during the instant of the flap but have it open for preceding

and following nasalized vowels.



It is also possible to have a flapped /t/ preceded and followed by

nasalized vowels. If one has a true "nasal twang" and leaves the

naso-pharyngeal passage open while saying everything after the release of

/p/ in 'pity', a "nasalized [t]" is produced, with the apico-alveolar

closure of a /t/ rather than an /n/.



Now that I've thought about the "nasalized t-flap," I would argule that the

pronunciation of 'Atlanta' -- at least as I say it -- indeed has a briefly

articulated nasal obstruent, which I don't mind calling a nasal flap.