[Spellyans] The Pronounciation of 'r' in traditional Cornish

[Harry Hawkey]

Tony Hearn wrote:

To my ears it is the use among learners and speakers of the West Country English [ɹ] which makes so much spoken Cornish sound less than convincing.

Interesting. Are you arguing (in your hesitant and carefully qualified post :-) ) that traditional Cornish did not have [ɹ] at all?


Craig Weatherhill wrote:

He was careful to consult a book whose title and author I can't now recall


I think it was Eric Dobson's 'English Pronunciation, 1500-1700' (can't check right now...)


Craig Weatherhill wrote:

In the end, Lhuyd is the only real guide we have to the pronunciation of Cornish


Yes, it's very frustrating that he doesn't really spend much time explaining his system in AB. I find it a bit confusing too (e.g. he says â is pronounced as in 'mane', presumably [ɛ:], but uses this to spell many words like brâs in Welsh which surely can't have ever had [ɛ:] ?)


Michael Everson wrote:

We recommend the retroflex [ɹ] generally and the tap [ɾ] intervocalically.


Why?
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