On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Yigal Levin wrote:

> At 11:39 AM 6/8/2002 -0400, Carter Pate wrote:
> >
> >Hey, Yigal!  Has anyone compared this aspect of Hebonics (and why not
> >Hebronics?) to "signifying" or "playing the dozens" in Ebonics?
> >       cpate
> >
>
>
> I have no idea - you might want to ask Lynn Miles. But as long as we're on
> the subject, here's an additional reaction I received:
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I reject completely the thesis in the note forwarded from SRL279 (to whom
> you may copy this response if you wish).   The author's idea of a theory of

.  .  .
>
> (1)   Vowels   A true effect on English which we owe to Hebrew is the
> creation of a 6th vowel.   This in normal English (UK/US/Australian etc)
> there are vowels A E I O and U.   The Hebonic addition is a sixth vowel
> "Eh".   True speakers of the language elongate this to "Eeeeeehh".   In
> fact, there is evidence that this is tending to smother a lot of the other
> vowels.   The simple sentence:
>
> "I am going to my father's house"
>
> tends to be rendered
>
>  "I-eeehhhm going tweeeeehh my fatheeeeeeh's 'ouse."
>

As I understand, most recognized and self-respecting linguists consider
English to have a collection of vowels centering around ten or eleven in
number (slight variations among dialects).  The A E I O U is based on
popular or dictionary impressions, not on linguistic analysis of how the
language is spoken.  Has the commentator ever heard of a phonetic
alphabet?

        Carter Pate