[General] Sound

[Skrej]

Speaking as a Chinese person, there is a single Chinese word（河）for 'river', which is not derived from the Chinese term（流水）for 'running water'.

Thanks, Matthew.

I don't know any Chinese, so I just made that up as an example. Maybe you could provide a better, 'real' example of where Chinese combines syllables?

I think my overall point was still correct though, yes?

 

[emsr2d2]

Maybe Both. What I think I'm trying to say is that there might be a way to match your language with other languages because really you are just using your throat. Maybe I'm wrong. To me, that isn't really important and who you are is important but I just want to know.

I'm fairly sure it's biologically possible for every human on the planet to vocalise every sound used in every modern language. However, we learn the sounds of our own language (or any second/third language we might learn) from an early age and the older we get, the harder it is for us to teach ourselves new sounds. Some people, of course, have speech impediments which mean they physically cannot make certain sounds (lisp, rhotacism etc).

 

[mawes12]

Some people, of course, have speech impediments which mean they physically cannot make certain sounds (lisp, rhotacism etc).

I didn't know that until you told me. I might add some more questions on this so please don't close the thread. Thanks to everyone for answering. I don't know why but I feel like there is something missing.

 

[Tdol]

please don't close the thread.

We don't close threads unless there is a problem. When no one has posted in the for a long time - some months - the forum software closes them automatically. If a thread is closed that you want to post in, just send one of us a message and we will reopen it.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Maybe you could provide a better, 'real' example of where Chinese combines syllables?

I can give an example where two Chinese characters combine to form another one.
田 means a farm. 力 means force. 田 and 力 combine to form 男 , which means a male. It signifies that a male had to use his force to work on the farm.

I think my overall point was still correct though, yes?

Having looked up 'logographic' in a dictionary, I consider it different from 'hieroglyphic', but I am not a teacher.