In reply to:
As for the "t"/"d" thing, I'm ready to guess it's the Chinese equivalent of the Japanese "l"/"r" pronunciation issue. A hard "t" is roughly the same as a "d" within the spoken language.
We have a similar problem here in the Middle East - of course, no westerner I know can say the letter 'ayin' (present in both Hebrew & Arabic) as it's said way back in the throat.
But the most interesting sound, I think, is the one written with a 'Gh' (in transliteration) but pronounced as if it's an 'Rh' as in the name of the only Alawite (smallish sect of Islam for the uninitiated) village in Israel - way up in the north - it's the one in the area that Lebanon claims is their territory, but it became part of Israel in the 1967 war when Israel 'won' it from Syria - in what's called both the Mt. Dov and Sheba Farms area - the village is spelled (in transliteration from Arabic to English) Ghajar but pronouced Rhajar (with a slight roll on the 'r' - I would NOT recommend you try saying that three times real fast!
). The most famous person I know of with the same sound in his name - same transliteration, same pronunciation - is Boutros Boutros Ghali (pronounced Rhali with that little roll on the 'r').
Of course, the obvious question is "why don't they just write it with the 'rh' instead of with the 'gh' and the only answer I have is, I DON'T KNOW!
Now wasn't that fun?!
Shoshannah
