In a message dated 10/18/00 4:55:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time, csdonnell@m... writes: csdonnell@m... writes:
<< In Italian diction study, at least a third of the native American-English speakers in my classes open /i/ when it is shortened by following double consonants. Thus "piccolino" /pikko'lino/, becomes /pIkko'lino/. >>
Thus the terms long and short are perfect for conveying and acquiring Italian diction. I wish my Italian diction teacher had explained it like that. However, I don't agree that such sounds as [u] in cool or fool should be referred to as short -- (the upside down v of foot and the schwa, yes)... but we sustain the "fool" vowel in spoken English. I am forever telling Asian English students to prolong certain vowel sounds which they have a tendency to clip short, thus making their English less understandable. That [u] is one of them.
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