schwa is the new 'e'
Can I just say . . . the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) has taken over my life! I eat, sleep and breathe it. I even dream in it.
In Urdu, every other vowel is a schwa (like the 'uh' in 'the' -- not 'thee'), which is kind of handy, because if you aren't sure about a vowel . . . you can put in a schwa and its a 50/50 chance you're right. :)
A little tidbit about schwa . . . you write it like an upside-down 'e.' I now have trouble writing an 'e' right-side up. :/
When I am taking notes in anthropology class I have to double-check myself to make sure I am not inserting (the phonological rule for this is called epinthesis, by the way) the schwa in places where it wasn't before.
Yup, the IPA is absorbing my brain waves like the time equilibrium hole in Star Trek that takes the Spock back and forth in time to where there are two of him in the same place (awesome movie . . . ).
But the good news:
Today . . . get ready for it . . . I constructed a grammatically correct sentence in Urdu with no help!!!!!! :)
Now, that's rewarding! :) Currently, I am supposed to be writing an analysis write-up on the grammatical relations in Urdu (trying to describe the case system including split-ergativity . . . not cool), but since I am having trouble focusing let me list a few of the blog topics I have thought up in the past week or so, but haven't had the time to write.
Titles of my life---the past couple weeks
*On a night that smelled like summer . . . I swallowed a bug
*18 hours of sleep! Yup, that's a new record!
*Dark parking lots after midnight . . . think again
*I found a penny; I found two!
*Tomato and avocado salad . . . brilliant!
*Um, can anyone say awkward?
In Urdu, every other vowel is a schwa (like the 'uh' in 'the' -- not 'thee'), which is kind of handy, because if you aren't sure about a vowel . . . you can put in a schwa and its a 50/50 chance you're right. :)
A little tidbit about schwa . . . you write it like an upside-down 'e.' I now have trouble writing an 'e' right-side up. :/
When I am taking notes in anthropology class I have to double-check myself to make sure I am not inserting (the phonological rule for this is called epinthesis, by the way) the schwa in places where it wasn't before.
Yup, the IPA is absorbing my brain waves like the time equilibrium hole in Star Trek that takes the Spock back and forth in time to where there are two of him in the same place (awesome movie . . . ).
But the good news:
Today . . . get ready for it . . . I constructed a grammatically correct sentence in Urdu with no help!!!!!! :)
Now, that's rewarding! :) Currently, I am supposed to be writing an analysis write-up on the grammatical relations in Urdu (trying to describe the case system including split-ergativity . . . not cool), but since I am having trouble focusing let me list a few of the blog topics I have thought up in the past week or so, but haven't had the time to write.
Titles of my life---the past couple weeks
*On a night that smelled like summer . . . I swallowed a bug
*18 hours of sleep! Yup, that's a new record!
*Dark parking lots after midnight . . . think again
*I found a penny; I found two!
*Tomato and avocado salad . . . brilliant!
*Um, can anyone say awkward?
I love reading about the FUN you are having learning new Language... i want to start new language too... but which one?!?? I need help:)
ReplyDeletewhat are You doing on May the 22nd!!???