New symbols are not added to the International Phonetic Association's alphabet very often, but the Association has just agreed to include a new symbol for writing a curious labiodental flap sound that is moderately common in African languages though just about unheard of outside that continent. Michael Erard has just made this into a big New York Timesworthy story.
Linguistics is having a big week, in fact, because in addition the latest Science News has a big cover story taking up the whole of the center pages of vol. 168, no. 24 (December 10, 2005), pp.376-377, about Daniel and Keren Everett's researches on the Pirahã. Is linguistics ever hot.
Posted by Geoffrey K. Pullum at December 13, 2005 09:50 PM