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It's a lot harder (for me) to say Kriegsspiel than (the incorrect) Kriegspiel, because the first 's' is voiced (IPA /z/) and the 'sp' is unvoiced[0].

I'm not saying that's why this alternate spelling has arisen, but it could be a transcription of a mispronunciation.

[0] IPA /ʃp/ rather than /sp/ because initial 'sp' in german is pronounced that way. I don't know if this rule has a name... "post-alveolarization"?



No no, actually the first s is /s/ i.e. voiceless as in "sea" or "pass", so the complete transcription should be /kʀiːksʃpiːl/. The transition between the /s/ and /ʃ/ is then just making your lips round for the /ʃ/ after the wide and flat /s/. It is still not as easy as just leaving it out, but it is whole lot more doable.


I must be extremely out of practice with German :\ I definitely thought that the 'g' in 'Krieg' was /k/ but the 'g' in 'Kriegs' was /g/.




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