Transcript The Vowels of English

sounds in which there is no
obstruction of the airflow as they
pass through the larynx
Vowels

All vowels are considered voiced => the
vocal cords are vibrating when
producing the sounds
Characteristics of vowels

Involves flow of the airstream out of the
mouth over the central part of the
tongue with stoppage or local turbulence
in the mouth => central, oral, sonorant
Sonorants
=> Involves no closure or stricture of the
stricture of the airstream but stead
relatively unimpeded airflow
 Only some sonorants are oral
 Some vowels are nasalized.
Vowel = central oral sonorant
Vowels Classification
Positions of the tongue in the mouth
1.) Tongue height (how far the tongue is
raised – high-mid-low)
2.) Tongue backness (which part of the
tongue- front – central – back)
3.) Lip rounding (rounded – unrounded)
4.) A degree of tension (tense or lax)

1. Tongue height
How much space there is between the
tongue and roof of the mouth
High i
‘bee’
Mid e
‘bet’
Low Q
‘bat’

2. Tongue back
The horizontal tongue position during
the articulation of a vowel.
Front
i
‘beat’
Central 
‘bird’
Back
u
‘boot’

Vowel diagram
=> is shaped as an inverted triangle or
trapeziod.
 Can portray the positions of the highest point
on the tongue for the respective vowels
Cardinal vowels

Theoretical vowel qualities against which the
actual vowels of the language are being
compared. It has the 4 levels of IPA system
i
u
e
o


a
A
American English vowels
Front
High
i
‘beat’
‘boot’
I ‘bit’
‘put’
Mid
e ‘bait’
‘boat’
 ‘bet’
‘bought’
Low
Q ‘bat’
Central
Back
u
U
 ‘sofa’
 ‘but’
a
o

‘pot’
British English vowels
Front
High
‘boot’
‘put’
Mid
‘bought’
Central
Back
‘beat’
i
u
‘bit’
I
e ‘bet’
U
 ‘bird’

 ‘sofa’
 ‘but’
Low
‘bath’
Q
‘bat’

A
‘pot’
3. Lip Rounding
http://clas.mq.edu.au/phonetics/phonetics/vowelartic/lip_posture.html
4. Tenseness

Some vowels need a greater degree of
muscular tension in the mouth and jaw
when they are produced than others.
Tense vowels => produced with more
muscular effort in the mouth and jaw
(long vowels with symbol  are tense)
 Lax vowels => produced with more
relaxing mouth and jaw

http://sci2s.ugr.es/keel/dataset/images/vowel.jpg