Re: Alif Baa- pronouncing Alif

In article <8f3564da.0411241135.4c741fb6@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
 eazy927@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Homer) wrote:

> I have the book Alif-Baa and it goes through pronunciation for long
> vowel Alif. It says the range of the sound is 'a' bat or 'a' as in
> father. That is consistent with other books. But then in the examples
> it pronounces most of the Alif as 'e' in bed.
> 
> In the next paragraph after the first drill it shows difference
> between alif (long a) and fatha (short a) and states: alif range, 'a'
> in bad to 'a' in father, fatha range- 'e' in bet to 'u' in but.
> 
> I thought fatha sounds like 'a' in cat or 'o' in top. And I thought
> Alif was just a longer version like 'a' in cab (but a little longer)
> and or 'a' in calm. (According to other books).
> 
> Will someone please clarify this sound. Thank you.
> 
> -Homer

I just got the same book.  I would say that you should listen to the 
sounds on the CD/DVD that came with the books and mimic the sounds as 
close as possible.