Re: Brithenig diphthongs (was: Yiddish influences in Brithenig)

[John Cowan <cowan@locke.ccil.org>]

Rhaifun Bryn yscrifef:

> Yep - I would not do so, either.  I think Brithenig {u} would probably have
> followed the same path as in French, i.e. become high, rounded front vowel
> [y];

I think it probably did, but then there was an unrounding phase
as well (didn't this happen in Modern Welsh too?).  Thus:
[brun] -> [bryn] -> [brin] (still spelled "bryn").  This
allows orthographic "i" and "y" to collapse as [i]/[I] = /i/.
But perhaps this did not take place in some dialects.

I have no strong feelings about orthographic "ae", "oe" except
that collapse with "ai", "oi" seems fine with me.  I still don't
understand Brithenig sound-changes anyway.

-- 
John Cowan	http://www.ccil.org/~cowan		cowan@ccil.org
	You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
	You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
		Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)