Editing 2907: Schwa
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|Created by a ONE-VOWEL VOWEL ALIGNMENT CHART - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | The | + | The comic and title text conversational excerpts are examples of speech that can be spoken in some US dialects using ''only'' the {{w|schwa}} (ə) vowel-sound. [[Randall]] makes the observational joke that the schwa is so common that one can learn the English language without learning any other vowel sounds, if one sticks to the right topics of conversation. Part of the humor is the unusual idea of hyper-efficient language learning that focuses on all words with a common vowel sound rather than, say, the 1000 most common words. |
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− | + | This claim works for any dialect featuring the {{w|Phonological history of English close back vowels#STRUT–COMMA merger|STRUT-COMMA merger}}, including most of the US dialects that Randall himself would be most familiar with. | |
− | The intended pronunciation of the conversation can be written in the {{w|International Phonetic Alphabet}} (while preserving punctuation marks) | + | The intended pronunciation of the conversation can be written in the {{w|International Phonetic Alphabet}} as (while preserving punctuation marks): |
:Megan: /wəts əp<font color="gray">?</font> wəz dəɡ ˈɡənə kəm<font color="gray">?</font> dəɡ ləvz brən{{w|Voiceless postalveolar affricate|t͡ʃ}}<font color="gray">.</font>/ | :Megan: /wəts əp<font color="gray">?</font> wəz dəɡ ˈɡənə kəm<font color="gray">?</font> dəɡ ləvz brən{{w|Voiceless postalveolar affricate|t͡ʃ}}<font color="gray">.</font>/ | ||
:Ponytail: /ˈnə{{w|Glottal stop|ʔ}}<nowiki />ə<font color="gray">,</font> dəɡz stək kəz əv ə ˈtən(ə)l əbˈstrək{{w|Voiceless postalveolar fricative|ʃ}}(ə)n<font color="gray">.</font> ə trək dəmpt ə tən əv ˈən{{w|Voiced palatal approximant|j}}(ə)nz<font color="gray">.</font>/ | :Ponytail: /ˈnə{{w|Glottal stop|ʔ}}<nowiki />ə<font color="gray">,</font> dəɡz stək kəz əv ə ˈtən(ə)l əbˈstrək{{w|Voiceless postalveolar fricative|ʃ}}(ə)n<font color="gray">.</font> ə trək dəmpt ə tən əv ˈən{{w|Voiced palatal approximant|j}}(ə)nz<font color="gray">.</font>/ | ||
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The title text, in IPA, if only schwas were used: | The title text, in IPA, if only schwas were used: | ||
:/dəgz ˈkəz(ə)n<font color="gray">,</font> {{w|Voiced dental fricative|ð}}<nowiki />ə wən frəm ˈlənd(ə)n<font color="gray">,</font> rənz ə ˈbəmb(ə)l ləv kəlt<font color="gray">.</font>/ | :/dəgz ˈkəz(ə)n<font color="gray">,</font> {{w|Voiced dental fricative|ð}}<nowiki />ə wən frəm ˈlənd(ə)n<font color="gray">,</font> rənz ə ˈbəmb(ə)l ləv kəlt<font color="gray">.</font>/ | ||
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+ | Randall has a longstanding interest in minimalist visions of English communication. He published a whole book, Thing Explainer, about explaining complex ideas — such as the Up-Goer 5 — using “only the ten hundred words people use the most often.” | ||
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+ | The comic may also be poking fun at the large set of different letter combinations that result in the schwa sound. English is somewhat infamous for such behavior (thus "ghoti" can be pronounced "fish.") | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
+ | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
:[Megan, Cueball, and Ponytail stand in front of a dinner table, with Megan and Cueball facing Ponytail. Megan has her hand on the rightmost chair while Ponytail has her palm out.] | :[Megan, Cueball, and Ponytail stand in front of a dinner table, with Megan and Cueball facing Ponytail. Megan has her hand on the rightmost chair while Ponytail has her palm out.] | ||
:Megan: What's up? Was Doug gonna come? Doug loves brunch. | :Megan: What's up? Was Doug gonna come? Doug loves brunch. |