Do I have any linguists among my followers? I have a question the answer to which I actually can't find on Google. It's this.
Recently, I've heard a lot of native English speakers making a sound--I believe the name for this kind of sound is an alveolar click--before speaking.
Recently, I've heard a lot of native English speakers making a sound--I believe the name for this kind of sound is an alveolar click--before speaking.
It's so common that I can't believe I never noticed that everyone does this before. But it's very strange that I've never read a discussion of the phenomenon and I can't find one on Google.
Have English-speakers been doing this all my life? Or is this new? What does it mean?
It seems to happen when people are speaking publicly and have been quiet for a minute or two before speaking: It seems to mean, "I am about to speak."
It seems to happen when people are speaking publicly and have been quiet for a minute or two before speaking: It seems to mean, "I am about to speak."
Now that I've noticed it, I'm noticing it everywhere.
It's this sound, but very softly.
I've found a discussion of it! I'm not imagining it! cambridge.org/core/journals/… And yes, they function just as I thought.
More: theses.gla.ac.uk/81592/.
So yes, the non-phonemic click is real and it functions roughly the way I thought. Now I want to know whether it's become way more common recently or whether I just never noticed it before.
So yes, the non-phonemic click is real and it functions roughly the way I thought. Now I want to know whether it's become way more common recently or whether I just never noticed it before.
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