Re: [Lingo] you have got to be kidding

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Godwin Stewart writes:

 > On Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:06:38 +0900, "Stephen J. Turnbull"
 > <stephen@example.com> wrote:
 > 
 > > In hiragana, they are often used rather than the dash to indicate a
 > > long vowel.  Thus テメー but てめぇ.
 > 
 > Yabbut, I was taught that the kana い is used to lengthen the え sound
 > in え、け、せ、て、ね、へ、め、れ.

Sure, in ordinary writing.  But 手前 is normally read てまえ (to the
extent that it's ever read in normal situations).  And of course it's
not a hard'n'fast rule, ゴドウィン・ねえちゃん.