What does the Romanian language sound like to a foreigner?

By: | Post date: 2016-01-20 | Comments: No Comments
Posted in categories: Linguistics, Other Languages

My prejudice going in, as someone exposed through Greek linguistics to written Aromanian language  (which I know is not quite the same thing):

  • Too many diphthongs
  • Central vowels? How odd
  • It’s Romance, it’s just got some odd sound changes

My prejudice on hearing this:

  • Too many diphthongs.
  • I can’t hear the Romance at all. I’m sure it’s there, but I can’t pick it up. Apart from the final Bună seara (bona sera!)
  • The intonation and phonology does sound Slavicish.
  • A lot more nasal than I expected (hence the Portuguese that other respondents are picking up on.)
  • They weren’t joking with that –lui suffix.
  • Yeah, central vowels. Gives it that Russian tinge.
  • Too many diphthongs.

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