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- Vowels are normally made with the air stream that meets no obstruction in the mouth, pharyngeal and nasal cavities.
- On the articulatory level the description of vowels notes changes:
- in the stability of articulation
- in the tongue position
- in the lip position
- in their length
The stability of articulation
All English vowels are divided into 3 groups: monophthongs, diphthongs, diphthongoids.
Monophthongs are vowels the articulation of which is almost unchanging.
They are - [i e ǽ a: o o: U Λ ə: ə ].
In the pronunciation of diphthongs the organs of speech glide from one vowel position to another within one syllable. The starting point, the nucleus, is strong and distinct.
They are - [ei ai oi au əu iə εə uə]
In the pronunciation of diphthongoids the articulation is slightly changing but the difference between the starting point and the end is not so distinct as it is in the case of diphthongs.
They are - [i: u:]
Tongue Position
The tongue may move forward, backward, up, down,thus changing the quality of vowels.
1. When the tongue is in the front part of the mouth and the front part of the tongue is raised to the hard palate a front vowel is pronounced.
They are - [i: e ǽ]
2. When the tongue is in the front part of the mouth but slightly retracted and the part of the tongue nearer to the centre than to front is raised, a front-retracted vowel is pronounced.
It is - [i].
3. When the front of the tongue is raised towards the back part of the hard palate the vowel is called central.
They are - [Λ ə: ə].
4. When the tongue is in the back part of the mouth and the back of it is raised towards the soft palate a back vowel is pronounced.
They are - [a: o o:u:].
5. When the tongue is in the back part of the mouth but is slightly advanced and the central part of it is raised towards the front part of the soft palate a back-advanced vowel is pronounced.
It is - [U].
Moving up and downin the mouth the tongue may be raised to different height towards the roof of the mouth.
1. When the front or the back of the tongue is raised high towards the palate the vowel is called close.
They are - [ i: I u u:].
2. When the front or the back of the tongue is as low as possible in the mouth open vowels are pronounced.
They are - [ǽ a: o o:].
3. When the highest part of the tongue occupies the position intermediate between the close and the open one mid vowels are pronounced.
They are - [e Λ ə: ə].
Lip Position
When the lips are neutral or spread the vowels are called unrounded.
They are - [i: i e ǽ a: Λ ə: ə].
When the lips are drawn together so that the opening between them is more or less round the vowel is called rounded.
They are - [o o: u u:].
Vowel Length
All English vowels are divided into long and short vowels.
Long vowels are - [i: a: o: u: ə:]
Short vowels are - [i e o u Λ ə]
What else can I help you with?
Classification of vowel according to the position of tongue?
Vowels can be classified based on the position of the tongue in the mouth. The three main positions are front vowels (tongue towards the front of the mouth, like /i/ in "see"), central vowels (tongue in the middle, like /ə/ in "sofa"), and back vowels (tongue towards the back, like /u/ in "blue").
What two letters may be either vowels or consonants?
The two letters that can function as both vowels and consonants are "Y" and "W." In words like "yes" and "water," "Y" and "W" serve as consonants, while in words like "myth" and "few," they act as vowels. Their classification depends on their usage within a specific word context.
Do long vowels have more vowels than short vowels?
long vowels and short vowels are both just vowels they can't have more or less of themselves
Can you say a vowel is high middle or low?
Yes, vowels can be classified as high, mid, or low based on their tongue position during articulation. High vowels, like "i" in "see," are produced with the tongue positioned close to the roof of the mouth. Mid vowels, such as "e" in "bed," have a tongue position that is neither high nor low, while low vowels, like "a" in "cat," involve the tongue being positioned low in the mouth. This classification helps in understanding vowel sounds in linguistics.
How many vowels are in rapid?
There are two vowels in the word "rapid". Those vowels are 'a' and 'i'.
How many vowels are in table?
There are two vowels in 'table'. Those vowels are 'a' and 'e'.
What are the vowels in rain and mail?
the vowels are a and i.
Which one is different A Z F E?
The letter "Z" is different from the others because it is the only consonant that is positioned at the end of the alphabet, while "A," "F," and "E" are all vowels or letters closer to the beginning. Additionally, "A" and "E" are vowels, while "F" is a consonant, making "Z" distinct in both its placement and its classification.
How many vowels are in constanant?
There are 3 vowels.
How many vowels does the word rabbit have?
how many vowels in the word rabbit
The vowels in humid are?
The vowels are 'u' & ' i'. The five vowels in the English language are 'a,e,i,o,u.'.
How many vowels are in the word restaurant?
There are four vowels in the word "restaurant". the vowels are e, a, and u. All vowels are a, e, i, o, and u.</P>
