Re: lojban 'a'

[Rick Nylander <rnylander@DTSI.COM>]

Steven Belknap:
>>I'm from the western U.S. (me no speakee New English).  Is it
something
>>like
>>halfway between the a's in "fat" and "father"?
>
>like the a in father.

The refgram states that 'a' as in father ("[A]") is an acceptable
alternative.
The preferred pronunciation is [a], which is only vaguely described.

>From PC's remark, it seems that it is halfway between [A] and fat-a.

Out of curiosity, why was [A], which can be easily confused with schwa,
chosen as an
acceptable alternative, while "a as in cat" was rejected?  The latter
seems more distinct.

Rik.