Re: A stochastic process or An stochastic process


Ross Howard wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Sep 2005 13:34:06 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
> <mike_lyle_uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrought:
>
> >Uhlman wrote:
> >> Google says the former is much less common, but it sounds
> >cacophonic
> >> to me. I guess the problem is that I'm pronouncing it with my
> >Spanish
> >> accent.
> >>
> >> Any advice? Thanks in advance,
> >
> >I don't quite understand the question. Ggl gives me only 605 hits for
> >"an stochastic", against over 2 million for "a stochastic". The
> >former is presumably just a mistake.
> >
> >I take it you mean you find it hard to say "st" without putting a
> >vowel sound in front. If so, why not just think of "a stochastic" as
> >"astochastic"? That would usually -- perhaps always -- work, as I
> >don't think people use it as the negative.
>
> Ha! I tried that when I started teaching EFL to Spaniards. Seven years
> later "I stay" and "you speak" still came out as "I estay" and "Jew
> espeak". Of course they can say *aistéi*

*aistey*, Shirley?

> and *iu**** with no problem,
> but as soon as they see a word beginning with "st" or "sp", that
> intrusive "e" gets stuck in faster than you can say Jack Esprat.

I've started a movement to describe /dZ/ to Spanish speakers as "dch".
So far the movement has no members. Think it'll catch on better than
your attempt?

--
Dcherry Friedman

.

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