Hi Steve
Obviously, Accent variation is not only in the vowels, but the vast majority of variations in English pronounciation is in the vowel sounds and in those vowel sound + r combinations that you call Rhotic. In Non-Rhotic English, these sounds have evolved entirely into Vowel Dipthongs. Let's not split hairs here. Vowel Variation is the key area to work on. As for the wen/ hwen difference, it is a very minor voiced/un-voiced difference, that most English speakers put into the same consonant phoneme. They can not even hear the difference? Regards, Paul V. P.S. Some Linguists consider even the Rhotic Vowel Combinations to be classed with the other Dipthongs and Tripthongs. P.P.S. I am not aware of any large English speaking communities that retain that retain the pronounced > k in knife. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rkgkPB/UOnJAA/Zx0JAA/mx3olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shavian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
