Christian Gerzner wrote:

> 1) The M is, well, as in M.

> 2) the "i", both of 'em, is pronounced as in the first "i" in
> "f_i_nish". Vowels, as in most languages, might be elongated
> depending on context. This, to my knowledge, is universal.

> 3) Here we get to the difficult one. The Germanic "ch" is used in most
> northern European countries (as well as others) and has no real
> English equivalent, although it DOES have a Scots equivalent yet I do
> mean NO English equivalent.

Actually, I think the statement that there is no English equivalent, is a
pretty good clue to the sound we're talking about.  I have a clue, but can't
be sure it's a particularly good one.  Interestingly, it's been shown that
one's culture and native language not only affects the way one says things,
it also effects the way they hear them.  It has been said that it takes
years for Cubans in an English speaking society to hear the s sound without
an e sound in front of it.  They don't say estop instead of stop because
they don't know, they do it because that's how they have always done it and
they don't hear the difference.  I know for a fact, that there are several
French sounds that I can't hear.  I know this not because I've been told,
but because there are French words that, no matter how many times I hear
them, sound exactly the same to me, but clearly aren't.

> How to pronounce it? Many have tried, all have failed. Flat tongue
> adjacent to roof of mouth with lots of air. Got it? Nope, thought not

Maybe.  I think it's a sound that I can hear, but I'm not sure it's one I
could reproduce easily.  Michi says it's a bit like the Spanish Miji, which
I think would be similar to Mihi.  What your saying makes it seem like it
would be closer to (but not quite) Mickey.  Yes?  No?

Lee