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pkroser57@hidden.email [engelang] scripsit: > My best guess is that an optimal vowel system would be between 5 and > 8 vowels, with 5 = {i, e, a, o, u} and 8 = {i, y, e, ø, ɯ, u, a, o}, while the > optimal phoneme inventory will probably be between 25 and 50 consonants. Front rounded vowels are rare in the world's languages. See <http://wals.info/chapter/11>. Back unrounded vowels are even rarer. Check out other stuff at WALS. -- John Cowan http://www.ccil.org/~cowan cowan@hidden.email He that would foil me must use such weapons as I do, for I have not fed my readers with straw, neither will I be confuted with stubble. --Thomas Vaughan (1650)