SHEILA KING spoke of Fonix to DAN TRIPLETT on 11-02-96
SK>DT>  Isn't y a vowel sometimes and even w in at leas one case acts as
SK>DT>  a vowel.
 
SK>Wow. I'm surprised at this question. You need to take a course or
SK>a read book on Historical Linguistics. 
I think I would like that.  Any recommended readings?
 Higher in our mouth. Do you know
SK>the difference between a high vowel (such as the long e) and a low
SK>vowel (such as the long o)? Yes...
Anyhow, basically all of the vowels in
SK>English went through this transition a few centuries back, such that
SK>they were pronounced lower relative to how they had been pronounced
SK>before that transition. I believe that sometime after this was when
SK>the schwa began to become common in English, so that many vowel
SK>sounds that are spelled differently were now pronounced the same.
SK>This would have also affected the way many dipthongs and glide
SK>vowels, such as the y were pronounced.  
SK>I hope this begins to give you a bit of an insight into the topic.
SK>My historical linguistics text is across the room on the shelf, but
SK>it's been years since I looked into it!
SK> 
Ok....now you've earned my respect.....I feel like a 
diphthong....interesting stuff and much of it I was not immediately 
aware of.  I think language is so fascinating and only recently have I 
had my interest perked.
Dan
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