
Actually, according to the definition that you used (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cabal), there are the following two pronunciations of "cabal":
1) \kə-ˈbäl\
2) \kə-ˈbal\
The "a" phoneme of the "ˈbal" syllable of pronunciation 2 is actually defined to be identical to the first syllable "ˈba" of "balance" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balance); viz.:
\ˈba-lən(t)s\
Further, the second syllable of "robot" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robot) in fact does contain the same alternative phoneme "ä" as in pronunciation 1 of "cabal" above; viz.:
\ˈrō-ˌbät\
To sum: The phoneme represented by the letter "a" in the second syllable of "cabal" is either pronounced like the phoneme "a" represented by the same letter in the first syllable "ˈba" of "balance" (for pronunciation 2), or like the phoneme "ä" represented by the letter "o" in the second syllable "ˌbät" of "robot." Further, as Clifford Beshers has already mentioned, the second syllable of "cabal" is the one stressed.
Benjamin L. Russell
--- On Wed, 5/28/08, Clifford Beshers
As in the dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cabal), accent on the second syllable, which is pronounced like none of ball, balance, boll and bale. Roughly the same rhythm as kaboom.
On Tue, May 27, 2008 at 6:04 PM, Dan Piponi
wrote: In particular, which syllable gets the stress, and what are the lengths of the two vowels? Couldn't find anything in the FAQ (http://www.haskell.org/haskellwiki/Cabal/FAQ). -- Dan _______________________________________________ Haskell-Cafe mailing list Haskell-Cafe@haskell.org http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/haskell-cafe _______________________________________________ Haskell-Cafe mailing list Haskell-Cafe@haskell.org http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/haskell-cafe