GLEBOUS & COMICUS
Glebe Report April 15, 2022
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FUN WITH PHONEMES By Rémi Samson
The Glebe
When my nephew was learning to write in French, he couldn’t believe there was an “s” in “tsunami.” At the time, I couldn’t have made sense of this if I hadn’t been studying phonology – the science of speech sounds and sound changes in a language. Phonology studies phonemes – the smallest units of speech that distinguish one word from another. For example, the “b” sound in the word “bat” is what separates “bat” from “pat,” “cat” and “fat.” Those sounds – “b,” “p,” “c” and “f,” point to four different phonemes in English. Not all languages have the same phonemes. You’ll often hear Spanish speakers alternate between “b” and “v,” pointing to a single phoneme for different sounds. English has a “th” sound that is both voiced (“them”) and unvoiced (“theme”). Think also of the guttural sounds of Arabic and German, like in the expressions “Ahlan wa sahlan” (welcome) and “Gute nacht” (goodnight). When learning to articulate the sounds of a foreign language, it’s natural to fall back on the habits of our native tongue. That’s why some French speakers say “ze” instead of “the,” and some English speakers pronounce “rue” (“street”) as “roo.” Articulation challenges also explain why young kids simplify words by saying “tee” and “say” instead of “tree” and “stay.” Those simplifications aren’t random, so parents learn to understand their kids’ gibberish. Chances are, if you ask any French speaker from Quebec, they’ll deny that there’s an “s” between the “t” and “u” in the word “tuque,” or that there’s a “z” between the “d” and “i” in “paradis.” After all, the words aren’t written that way. Yet, if you listen carefully, you’ll inevitably hear those sounds. (Try it, it’s fun!) This background phonological process happens in Quebec French, but not in the French spoken in France. And phonetic transcriptions of foreign words, like the Japanese “tsunami,” are an exception. Hence my (Francophone from Quebec) nephew’s surprise. Mystery solved.
according to Zeus
A GUINEA PIG’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE GLEBE
Quibblers and NGP form historic coalition! The Quibbler Party announced earlier today that a coalition had been formed with the No Guinea Pigs (NGP) Party, and it’s expected to last several years. The NGP, restricted to the notoriously industrious hamsters, is well known for publicly disparaging the Quibbler guinea pig party for being lazy, in particular because they are constitutionally unable to use an exercise wheel. The NGP is rumoured to have approached the Quibblers. Some find this preposterous given most hamsters spend winter slumbering in half hibernation and are more likely to have been the ones approached and even taken advantage of. Many worry the sleepy hamsters did not grasp the full impact of their agreement, a view bolstered by the fact that several hamsters were photographed sleeping in the Chateau Laurier lobby, where the deal was allegedly made. A review by our junior correspondent shows at least one initiative definitively favours the larger rodents. “The 2016 StatsHam Hutchhold Survey shows that over 98.9 per cent of hamsters have excellent eyesight, whereas 99.9 per cent of guinea pigs are shortsighted. Therefore, the latter will benefit disproportionately from the proposed Free Fancy Frames Fund (F-4),” explained Junior. However, the historic agreement does have at least two shared key priorities that might have tipped the scales for the hams. “Well-groomed fur with a sheen
Rémi Samson worked as a lawyer with the Supreme Court of Canada for over two decades. He is passionate about the ways language, law and power intersect.
Excited, delighted and thrilled!
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Adverbs and the World Cup By Michael Kofi Ngongi Canada’s men’s soccer team recently qualified for the FIFA World Cup and did so convincingly, after an emphatic victory over Jamaica. If you’re like me, you remember your primary school teacher instructing you that adverbs modify and describe verbs, and mostly end in “ly.” Where verbs inform us of the action in question, adverbs tell us how said action was, is or will be performed. A verb is sufficient to inform us that when Canada’s men’s soccer team has qualified for the World Cup. However, it takes an adverb to let us know they did so convincingly. But adverbs don’t only tell us how an action’s performed; they also tell us when it’s performed. So, for example, Canada qualified recently, we’re celebrating now, and we will celebrate some more later. And that’s not all, because adverbs, as it turns out, are quite versatile. They also tell us where the action is performed: while the game was played
outside at chilly BMO Field, we watched it sitting comfortably inside, in the TV room downstairs. Adverbs also help us describe the degree or extent of an action or feeling. Canada’s going to the World Cup, and we’re very happy. A word of caution about the adverb very (and others like it). Very is very useful in helping us indicate that something is done or felt to a high degree. But it does so at times in a somewhat underwhelming manner, in a way that weakens the feeling we seek to convey. At such times, it is incumbent upon us to search for words that can convey the feeling with more oomph. So, let’s try that again: Canada’s going to the World Cup, and we’re excited, delighted and thrilled! C
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has always been a priority for both hamsters and guinea pigs,” explained a Quibbler, speaking of the Brush, Bath & Beyond Benefit (B-4). Additionally, the hamster caucus, when polled, seemed to show a lot of support for the Chin Scratch Initiative (CSI). “After a long day on the wheel, we each are entitled to a soothing chin scratch,” explained Buzz Hamgrove, leader of the Canadian Hamster Equity Association of Trade (CHEAT). Only time will tell the true benefits of the coalition. In the meantime, guinea pigs and hamsters alike have been signing up in droves for the F-4, B-4 and CSI.
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A Montessori classroom is where the joy of learning comes naturally
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Toddler, Preschool & Elementary Grades 1-6 Bilingual Education
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Michael Kofi Ngongi is a new Canadian originally from Cameroon, another bilingual country. He has experience in international development and is a freelance writer interested in language.
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