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Posted

A vowel is generally defined as any sound made by your mouth with no friction involved, and the type of vowel by the position of your tongue when you make the sound. (this is two dimensional, forwards/backwards and up/down) If you change the position of your tongue in the middle of the vowel then you get a dipthong or tripthong. The only way to accurately transcribe all the vowels is to use the international phonetic alphabet - there are around 20 in English, depending on the dialect you speak.

 

In English, the letters you use to write a word are not the same as the vowels spoken, and indeed the letter y can sometimes indicate what would be spoken at a vowel. But of course in the question, fish is referring to what are considered to be orthographic vowels - a, i, e, o and u.

 

Edit: This is a bit of a simplification, but I want to keep this post relatively short, and I don't fully understand it anyway.

 

Hmm, I'd answer that maths question, but I have too much work that's actually related to my course... :heh:

Posted

There is a latin vowel (can't remember it's name) that can be sounded by every english vowel. The sound "uh" or "eh". The A in umbrella. The O in Hammock. The E in Killer. Can't think of U or I at the moment but there are words. I'm sure somebody else can think of them.

Posted
There is a latin vowel (can't remember it's name) that can be sounded by every english vowel. The sound "uh" or "eh". The A in umbrella. The O in Hammock. The E in Killer. Can't think of U or I at the moment but there are words. I'm sure somebody else can think of them.

One of very few things I remember from my phonetics module last year - that's called a Schwa! I wouldn't've transcribed hammock as having a schwa; sounds more like the "oo" in look and book except shorter. I'd go fetch my module handbook and symbol table and whatnot -- but this is the QUIZ thread and I can't be bothered.

 

FISH sort it out, mate.

Posted

FISH sort it out, mate.

 

Have done, I've adjusted the question accordingly, as some people are far, far, too pedantic. Eddage got in first, so he gets the point. Still.

 

Now shut up, and get out a maths text book or a map/Google Earth, which ever you find easier, and do the last two questions, bitches!

Posted
Are the questions open yet? Cause I'm not gonna answer just to have my points stolen away (if I even win any)

 

Yeah, people lack maths A-levels or common sense, so give them a shot!

Posted
There is a latin vowel (can't remember it's name) that can be sounded by every english vowel. The sound "uh" or "eh". The A in umbrella. The O in Hammock. The E in Killer. Can't think of U or I at the moment but there are words. I'm sure somebody else can think of them.

 

One of very few things I remember from my phonetics module last year - that's called a Schwa! I wouldn't've transcribed hammock as having a schwa; sounds more like the "oo" in look and book except shorter. I'd go fetch my module handbook and symbol table and whatnot -- but this is the QUIZ thread and I can't be bothered.

 

FISH sort it out, mate.

Yep, it's a reduced toneless unstressed vowel or schwa, represented by ə. In IPA, /ə/ usually represents the mid central vowel, but is used for any unstressed obscure vowel. In my accent (roughly RP) at least it is the o in hammock ['hæmək], and as for other vowels, it is indeed the a in umbrella [ʌm'brɛlə], the e in killer ['kilə®], the u in [səˈplaɪ], the i in pencil [ˈpɛnsəl], and even the y in sibyl [ˈsɪbəl]. As for the look/book thing, these are ['lʊk] and ['bʊk], and the sound in hammock is a reduced ʊ, but this is represented by a schwa.

 

Anyway, on with the quiz. (and I ought to be working...)

Posted
Yep, it's a reduced toneless unstressed vowel or schwa, represented by ə. In IPA, /ə/ usually represents the mid central vowel, but is used for any unstressed obscure vowel. In my accent (roughly RP) at least it is the o in hammock ['hæmək], and as for other vowels, it is indeed the a in umbrella [ʌm'brɛlə], the e in killer ['kilə®], the u in [səˈplaɪ], the i in pencil [ˈpɛnsəl], and even the y in sibyl [ˈsɪbəl]. As for the look/book thing, these are ['lʊk] and ['bʊk], and the sound in hammock is a reduced ʊ, but this is represented by a schwa.

 

Anyway, on with the quiz. (and I ought to be working...)

 

The u in what?

Posted
The u in what?

Supply, sorry, forgot to write it normally. :heh:

 

Fish, if question 1 is done with partial fractions, then do you mean 1/(x(1 + sqrt(x))^2)? If so, the answer is:

 

ln(x) - 2ln(sqrt(x)+1) + 2/(sqrt(x)+1) + c

 

If you mean ((1 + sqrt(x))^2)/x, the answer is:

 

x + 4sqrt(x) + ln(x) + c

Posted
Supply, sorry, forgot to write it normally. :heh:

 

Fish, if question 1 is done with partial fractions, then do you mean 1/(x(1 + sqrt(x))^2)? If so, the answer is:

 

ln(x) - 2ln(sqrt(x)+1) + 2/(sqrt(x)+1) + c

 

If you mean ((1 + sqrt(x))^2)/x, the answer is:

 

x + 4sqrt(x) + ln(x) + c

 

*sighs* I used to be able to do that. I got an A and everything ::shrug:

Posted
Fish, if question 1 is done with partial fractions, then do you mean 1/(x(1 + sqrt(x))^2)? If so, the answer is:

 

ln(x) - 2ln(sqrt(x)+1) + 2/(sqrt(x)+1) + c

 

That's what I said...

 

And yes, correct! 2 points for you! I'll do the score board in a min!

Posted
That's what I said...

 

And yes, correct! 2 points for you! I'll do the score board in a min!

Nope, you said 1/x (1 + sqrt(x))^2, which following normal syntax would be interpreted as ((1 + sqrt(x))^2)/x. Just remember that's it's always better to have more brackets if there's any chance of ambiguity.

Posted
That's what I said...

 

And yes, correct! 2 points for you! I'll do the score board in a min!

 

woah thats not what you said. 1/x(1+sqrtx)^2

that implies 1/x multiplied by (1+sqrtx)^2 not 1/[x(1+sqrtx)^2]

 

sorry to be arsey but thats pretty different.

 

bad fish man

Posted
Nope, you said 1/x (1 + sqrt(x))^2, which following normal syntax would be interpreted as ((1 + sqrt(x))^2)/x. Just remember that's it's always better to have more brackets if there's any chance of ambiguity.

 

I'd have written ((1+sqrt(x))^2)/x if I meant ((1+sqrt(x))^2)/x.

 

I'm a fan of the ludicrously top-heavy fraction. :heh:

 

Anyway, points!

Posted
If you're not actively using maths, it's really easy to forget particular techniques.

Funnily enough, I spent about 20 minutes in a pub garden doodling all over a newpaper trying to work something out - bearing in mind I'd had 3 pints already.

 

Say I have a module consisting of two essays - one essay mark I get 55%, but it is only worth 40% of my total grade. In order to get 70% overall, what mark must I attain in the second essay (worth 60% of overall grade)?

 

I think I ended up working it out to needing a mark of 80%, which totally looks right - I think all the percentages confused me.

 

Er yes! anyay, who's got the next round?

Posted
Funnily enough, I spent about 20 minutes in a pub garden doodling all over a newpaper trying to work something out - bearing in mind I'd had 3 pints already.

 

Say I have a module consisting of two essays - one essay mark I get 55%, but it is only worth 40% of my total grade. In order to get 70% overall, what mark must I attain in the second essay (worth 60% of overall grade)?

 

I think I ended up working it out to needing a mark of 80%, which totally looks right - I think all the percentages confused me.

 

Er yes! anyay, who's got the next round?

I make it 80% exactly.

 

No next round from me I'm afraid, I've done a couple already and I'm too busy...

Posted

So, those points then...

 

20 - jayseven

18 - killthenet

17 - The fish (does he get a point for doing the round?)

16 - Supergrunch

14 - Eddage

13 - Cube

12 - MoogleViper

11 - Noodleman

10 - Nintendohnut

7 - Platty

7 - Mundi

6 - Haggis

6 - EEVILMURRAY

5 - Tom

5 - Strider

5 - The Villan

4 - Monopolyman

4 - Ellmeister

3 - Shorty

2 - The Bard

2 - Welsh Gamer

2 - GMAC

2 - Fierce Link

2 - DomJcg

3 - EchoDesiato

3 - Dyson

1 - Stefkov

1 - Raining_Again

1 - rokhed00

1 - McMad

1 - Dan Dare

1 - Sanchez

1 - Aalborg

1 - Dante

1 - Ashley

1 - Coolness Bears

 

Think this is right. I don't know if the quizmaster of the round gets a point or not, if so the fish is on 18 as well.


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