Winter's day

[laepelba]

Fascinating explanations!! Thanks, all, for these discussions. I am thinking that I need to take some kind of class in the "History of the Spanish Language".

[irmamar]

I must add that there are some combination of consonants that can't be divided: b/c/f/p + l/r, d/t + r:

Fran-cia, es-cla-vo, re-do-ble, dra-ma, a-trac-ti-vo.

I don't know the reason, but it sounds goo to my ears

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

If Steven Spielberg were to be divided in Spanish syllables, it should be:

S·te·ven
S·piel·berg

"S" alone is unthinkable and impossible to pronounce for a Spanish speaker with no training in foreign languages, so the first impulse is to add an "e" to that lonely "s".

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

If Steven Spielberg were to be divided in Spanish syllables, it should be:

S·te·ven
S·piel·berg

"S" alone is unthinkable and impossible to pronounce for a Spanish speaker with no training in foreign languages, so the first impulse is to add an "e" to that lonely "s".

Therefore, Esteban Espielberg.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

"S" alone is unthinkable and impossible to pronounce for a Spanish speaker with no training in foreign languages, so the first impulse is to add an "e" to that lonely "s".

Impensable quizás, pero imposible no. He oído a españoles probar micrófonos con un "sí" extendido que es casí todo /s/. Fácilmente podrían parar antes de la /i/.

[irmamar]

I guess the difficulty consists of "s" before a plosive (sp, sk, st, ...). It's easy to say "sssssí", it's difficult to say "Sssssspielberg".

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

it's difficult to say "Sssssspielberg".

No it's not, it's very easy. .

In English, you can have more consonants in one syllable, for example scream is one syllable. (So is chthonic, but that doesn't really count)

But thanks anyway for the explantions.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

No it's not, it's very easy. .

In English, you can have more consonants in one syllable, for example scream is one syllable. (So is chthonic, but that doesn't really count)

But thanks anyway for the explantions.

It must be easy, but not for me

But... chthonic? Does it exist?

[laepelba]

I've never heard the word "chthonic" either, but if you type "define:chthonic" into Google, you'll get some interesting definitions. And ...... it seems to be closely related to a Greek word, so I'm not sure that Perikles is playing fair when he uses that as an example of an English word with a bunch of consonants in one syllable..........

I also found this website that says the word for you: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?wor...&submit=Submit - sounds like it doesn't even pronounce the initial "ch" sound........

[irmamar]

I thought it was "gin tonic" with "drunk" accent

- W(rrr)aittter! Annnnother chthonic, pleassse!

By the way, I can't find this definition.

Sorry, yes, I can

[pjt33]

Strength. One syllable, one vowel.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I thought it was "gin tonic" with "drunk" accent

- W(rrr)aittter! Annnnother chthonic, pleassse!

Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

It must be easy, but not for me

But... chthonic? Does it exist?

Of course it does! An adjective relating to the Earth.

Originally Posted by laepelba

so I'm not sure that Perikles is playing fair when he uses that as an example of an English word with a bunch of consonants in one syllable................

Hay, I did say that it didn't count It (of course) derives from Greek χθόνος which has two consonants at the beginning. But you need two consonants in the Roman alphabet for χ=ch and two for θ=th
So it really only counts as 2 consonants.

By the way, this is the reason that you get 'h' letters in English words which don't get pronounced, because they derive from Greek consonants which need 2 letters in the Latin alphabet. So (Jesus) Christ from χριστος

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

But... chthonic? Does it exist?

Actually, I have just found the same word contained in a word in Spanish: autóctonos except that the spelling has been modified so that the ch-> c and the th-> t.

This simplified spelling hides a lot of things, for example tanatorio where the first t hides a th but the second one doesn't.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

If my memory serves me right we say:
Summer´s day
winter´s day
spring day
fall/autumn day

Is that correct

The first one is right.

[hermit]

chthonic counts - good one.