LINGUIST List 13.1188

Tue Apr 30 2002

Qs: Arabic Phonetics, EFL/China:Empirical Studies

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>



We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have taken the trouble to respond to the query.

Directory

  • Kurt S. Godden, Arabic Phonetics
  • Peter Gu, EFL in China: Empirical Studies

    Message 1: Arabic Phonetics

     Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2002 16:39:08 -0400
    From: Kurt S. Godden <kgoddenatl.lmco.com>
    Subject: Arabic Phonetics


    One of my pet peeves with many language texts and dictionaries is that authors try to describe speech sounds with some home-grown alphabet, rather than the IPA. Given their deliberate avoidance of linguistic jargon, I often have a hard time figuring out how many phonemes are supposed to be realized.

    Can someone please provide a simple articulatory description of the phonemes for these Arabic letters?

    'alif khaa' (Does this denote a uvular fricative?) raa' Saad Daad Taa' DHaa' ghayn (Is this a uvular trill?) qaaf (Is this a uvular stop?)

    The book I have actually describes Saad as an /s/, modified "as if your mouth was full of cotton wool." How helpful.

    - Kurt Godden Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Labs kgoddenatl.lmco.com

    Message 2: EFL in China: Empirical Studies

     Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:27:11 +0800 (CST)
    From: Peter Gu <guyongqiyahoo.com>
    Subject: EFL in China: Empirical Studies


    Dear All,

    A colleague and I are compiling an annotated bibliography focusing on empirical research on Chinese EFL. The list will be put up on the WWW for general consumption. It might also appear in an upcoming special issue of Asian Journal of English Language Teaching. If you have published such articles IN ENGLISH, or if you could direct us to such publications, please contact me at yqpgunie.edu.sg. We already have a list of over 100 articles and books and wouldn't like to miss too much in terms of coverage.

    Thank you very much in advance. Peter

    ===== Dr Peter GU English Language & Literature Academic Group National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616