[Spellyans] The sound of r
Christian Semmens
christian.semmens at gmail.com
Thu Dec 12 17:14:19 GMT 2013
Poor prinunciation or spurious phonology is a problem for all learners. If
the teacher has flawed pronunciation then the student is off to a very bad
start.
Here is an example of a supposedly exemplar version of some Kairrrrr-neewek
:
http://www.kesva.org/assets/files/KDL/kdl11.mp3
I cannot see how this pronunciation could possibly lead to the sounds we
hear in the speech of any part of Cornwall yet it is still one of the
primary, if not *the* primary method for learners of Cornish without access
to living teachers. Plus, being KK is the aspirational pronunciation for
half of those Learning and by extension teaching Cornish.
On 12 December 2013 17:01, Craig Weatherhill <craig at agantavas.org> wrote:
> I'm not prepared to deride some speakers on Radyo an G. for the very
> reasons you give, Eddie. I'd just like them to look more closely at
> pronunciation.
>
> Craig
>
>
>
> On 2013 Kev 12, at 15:46, Eddie Climo wrote:
>
> On 12 Dec 2013, at 11:53, Craig Weatherhill <craig at agantavas.org> wrote:
>
> Well, I'm sure Michael will slap us for these observations when he gets
> back from China (on his way back now) but…what the hell!
>
>
> Surely not! after all, this is a consensual forum and we are discussing
> the Cornish Language.
>
> The gentleman we've both referred to, and some others, intone Cornish as
> though it was a language from some great classical civilization of the
> past...
>
>
> That reminds me of a remark in a book on palaeolinguistics that I read
> once, which went something like this:
>
> "He was the sort of linguist who chose to study dead languages, because
> there would be no inconveniently living native speakers to contradict his
> pronouncements."
>
> Such 'necrotaxic' scholar have been attracted to Cornish, under the
> dubious assumption that our language is dead--or, if it isn't, it jolly
> well ought to be! There was, for instance, one such from The Land of Song
> who was quite vile,or, as we might say in Cornish 'Vyl Glan,' or should
> that be 'Glan Vyl'? You may well be able to think of a few others for
> yourself.
>
> ...in stentorian tones that no Cornishman would ever have used, and more
> suited to an Oxford Don or a Shakespearian actor.
>
>
> Yeah, what was the name of that awful old ham?
>
> Many fluent Cornish speakers do sound like English folk trying to speak a
> foreign tongue using English sounds and intonation.
>
>
> Still, all praise to them for making the effort to learn and use Kernewek.
> Just as with some of the speakers on 'Radio an Gernewegva', whose
> pronunciation is not so good, I'm glad they're making the effort and, rather
> than the derisive sneers they attract from some 'experts,' they surely
> deserve encouragement and praise. I believe that's exactly what they would
> have got from a popular and respected teacher like Morton Nance, anyway.
>
> By the way - Neil's OK. He tells me that he did suffer a minor stroke,
> but with no discernible effect. The cause remains unknown and he's on some
> preventive pills. Otherwise, he's home, up and running again, which is
> good to hear.
>
>
> That's good news; I must send him a quick email and wish him 'Nadelek
> Lowen'.
>
> Eddie Climo
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