LINGUIST List 7.1461

Thu Oct 17 1996

Qs: Etymological dict, German, Spectrographic analysis

Editor for this issue: Ann Dizdar <dizdartam2000.tamu.edu>

Directory

1. Larry Mitchell, etymological dict. of English in progress
2. Terri Lander, German pronunciation
3. Nancyhildaol.com, Query about spectrograph-generating software

For some years now, Anatoly Liberman (Minnesota,German Dept) and Larry
Mitchell (Texas A&M U, English Dept) have been working towards a new
etymological dictionary of English. The first fruits of this project
will be An Encyclopedic Dictionary of English Etymology: A
Bibliography (two volumes), which should be available by 1998-99. This
bibliography will contain information on the history of about 12,000
words, the first volume being the bibliography proper, and the second
a word list keyed against the titles featured in volume 1. There will
also be a third volume of sample entries for 50 words. One of these
entries, for STRUMPET, is now available at:

 http://engserve.tamu.edu/pers/fac/mitchell/strumpet.html

and, as we move into the monumental task of compiling entries,we would
appreciate ANY FEEDBACK readers can offer about any aspect of the
entry (format, readability,accuracy of info, comprehensiveness, etc.)

Comments can be sent by e-mail to j-mitchelltamu.edu or to

Larry Mitchell or Anatoly Liberman
Dept of English Dept of German
Texas A&M University University of Minnesota
College Station 205 Folwell Hall
TX 77843-4227 9 Pleasant Street
TX 77843-4227 Minneapolis, MN 55455-0124

Tel: 409-845-3890 Tel: 612-625-2080

Hello fellow Linguists and especially German experts:

I am working on a project to produce a set of words in German that
manifest examples of each possible biphone (pair of phonemes) that
exists in German. To do this I am in search of some German reading
rules---so that from text one can predict the High German
pronunciation of German words spoken in isolation. I don't speak
German, but I have managed to write some _decent_ reading rules with
the help of a dictionary and a native consultant. But the rules could
be improved upon, and I'm sure someone has already invested time in
this...

Also helpful would be an on line German dictionary--preferably with
stress markings. Any pointers would be helpful.

You can respond back to the list if your comments are of general
interest, or simply to me at tlandercse.ogi.edu. I am a member of
the list, so I'll get the message either way.

Thank you.

Terri Lander

I am looking for software that can produce a (rudimentary)
spectrographic analysis of speech in a pre-recorded .wav file. The
two spectrographic software programs that I know of require speech
recorded within the application into their own type of file. One of
these is produced by SIL, who says they are working on a new software
application that reads .wav files, but is there anything available
now? Nancy Hildebrandt