Difference between ew/eu and aw/au

Started by Blue Elf, April 15, 2011, 03:53:17 PM

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Blue Elf

Kaltxì,
what is pronunciation difference between ew/eu and aw/au? I know nothing about IPA, so can you explain it very simply?
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Alyara Arati

I'm not a really good explainer, but I can tell you that "ew" is pronounced like "e-o" slid together.  This confused me for a while, but now I think I've got it.  "aw" is pronounced like the "ou" from pronounced.  Does this help any at all?
Learn how to see.  Realize that everything connects to everything else.
~ Leonardo da Vinci

wm.annis

"Au" and "eu" are pronounced as two syllables, one for each vowel: ah-oo, eh-oo.  The forms ending in "w" are diphthongs - you glide from one vowel sound to the end in one syllable.

Blue Elf

So if I understand well, au/eu are two separated sounds, while aw/ew are single gliding sounds (as aw/ew is "single letter")?
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


wm.annis

Quote from: Blue Elf on April 16, 2011, 02:34:58 PM
So if I understand well, au/eu are two separated sounds, while aw/ew are single gliding sounds (as aw/ew is "single letter")?

Exactly.

Blue Elf

One more question about this:
is aw _always_ diphthong? For example in wawe, or especially in fyawìntxu.
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


omängum fra'uti

#6
No, it isn't.  (The same goes for ay/ey/ew as well, for example yayo is ya.yo not yay.o).  The general rule of thumb is that if the y or w is immediately followed by a vowel, it is syllabified as a consonant.  There are exceptions to the rule (Such as tsway.on) but they are rare.
Ftxey lu nga tokx ftxey lu nga tirea? Lu oe tìkeftxo.
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Alyara Arati

That is what I would have guessed, but it is good to have this information confirmed.  Irayo for the good question and prompt answer.
Learn how to see.  Realize that everything connects to everything else.
~ Leonardo da Vinci

'Oma Tirea

Sran, generally the difference between au/eu/ai/ei and aw/ew/ay/ey is stress.  The former usually has the stress on u/i.  Also if a y or w occurs between two vowels, with very few exceptions as noted by Karyu Pawl, it is pronounced as a consonant, even after an a or e.

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