Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 37] 21
—Notes on Letter Sounds in Dialects—
A peculiarity which strikes one in Aboriginal
dialects (so far as my knowledge extends) is the
entire absence of V, X and Z sounds while Q is
not very frequent. In three dialects from which
I have compiled lists, viz those of the Richmond
River, the Lower Clarence and the Upper Clarence
the three first named letters do not occur at all
and Q is infrequent. These lists comprise a
total of nearly 1200 words.
I have moreover searched several other lists
compiled by various writers from a great variety
of dialects but, so far, have not found V, X, or Z.
All Aboriginal dialects appear to be remarkable
for the extensive use if vowel sounds especially
o and double o. Words of one syllable are
rare as the foregoing lists, totaling[sic] about 380 words,
will show there being only a bare half dozen
monosyllables.
R.L.D
(over)