kh

homicidal   Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:24 am GMT
Why is the [x] sound in many non-Latin alphabet languages transliterated to English as "kh"? The problem is that most English speakers pronounce it simply as 'k' which is completely wrong. Wouldn't it be more sensible to at least transliterate it as 'h'? At least it would sound kind of right and would only lack the friction.
Lazar   Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:11 am GMT
"kh" and "h" are often contrasted, as in modern Hebrew. The choice of "kh" may also have been influenced by German "ch" and Greek "ch".
Sarmackie   Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:04 pm GMT
It seems most sensible to me to use 'x' for [x].
Skippy   Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:52 pm GMT
For most speakers of English (and others using the Latin alphabet, I believe) "x" is almost always realized as /ks/ or /s/ word initially (in English, at least).
Lazar   Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:07 pm GMT
Skippy is right, except that I think the usual pronunciation of initial <x> in English is /z/, as in "xylophone" or "Xavier".
Sarmackie   Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:23 pm GMT
Maybe it's a regionalism, but I've actually heard people say /'kz/ for the initial X in proper names. As well, I know a woman who says /sk/ for both the Xs in 'Xerxes'.
Lazar   Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:40 am GMT
I've heard some people pronounce "Xavier" with [gz] and an epenthetic vowel, as if it were Igzavier.
Uriel   Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:02 am GMT
When dammit, it's really "Ha-vee-air!" ;P