cwms, crwth, & cwm
Yah know that "y" can be used as a consonant or a vowel, but just learned that the Welsh use "w" as a vowel (a "oo" sound). Word that used "w" as a vowel are rare I suppose since I don't think it has ever come up anywhere in my readings.
cwm - (pronounced "koom") is a steep-walled hollow on a hillside. cwm is commonly used in Welsh place names.
crwth - (pronounced "krooth") is a type of stringed instrument.
cwms - of glacial origin are a common feature of Welsh geography.
The question is can I use "cwn" in playing Scrabble? At least I know how to win a bet with a wordnik!
cwms, crwth, & cwm
-
- Lexiterian
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
- Location: Cambridge, Mass
- Contact:
cwms, crwth, & cwm
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 2784
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:41 am
- Location: Texas
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 3333
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:41 pm
- Location: RUSTON, LA
- Contact:
- Slava
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 8109
- Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
- Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Does this mean you don't consider no/know and knew/gnu to be homonyms?Good to know. I was, however, taught the five vowels ending with "and sometimes y or w." i always assumed the w referred to such unpronounced letters after vowels, e.g. Know or knew - tho if one listens carefully, there is a slight consonantal w wound at the end.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 3333
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:41 pm
- Location: RUSTON, LA
- Contact:
Of course they are homonyms. Actually, no and gnu end with the lips moving toward the w sound. Probably most words ending in vowels move toward a consonantal sound. Ah is an exception and ends right there. To me, a long A slides toward a Y. Ax short A may also be open, but if extended slides toward K in back of throat. When I say the long E my tongue wants to end it with a Y. Eh is like ah and a pure sound. Long I wants to go to Y unless I'm doing the southern drawl (ah). Short I is pure. The U in pure begins with PY, but not the sound in poor. There are both individual and regional variations. Try them yourself to see whether you pronounce the same as I or differently.
pl
-
- Lexiterian
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
- Location: Cambridge, Mass
- Contact:
don't for get "Noh" as in Japanese theater. So we now have no, know, gnu, & noh... dare I say it!? The "Noes" have it. Perry, what about "now"? This breaks with "know" and "no" do it not?
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 3333
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:41 pm
- Location: RUSTON, LA
- Contact:
Return to “Good Word Suggestions”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 80 guests