Classification of Vowels

Traditional ClassificationChapter 4

Outline

Discuss the traditional classification of vowels:

Identify phonetic symbols for front, central and back vowels.

Describe vowels according to the traditional classification.

Production of Vowels

Vowels are produced in essentially the same manner and voicing. Produced with oral resonance All are voiced

Identification of a vowel is a result of the shaping of the oral cavity. Tongue movement Jaw opening/closing Lip rounding & tenseness

Traditional Vowel Classification

Tongue Movement

Tension

Lip Rounding

Tongue Movement

Tongue Height*Vertical movement

High Vowels: tongue at highest position

Mid Vowels: tongue at mid position

Low Vowels: tongue at lowest position

Tongue Movement

Tongue Advancement*Horizontal movement

Front Vowels: tongue in front; most of resonating cavity in back of mouth

Central Vowels: half of resonating cavity in front and half in back

Back Vowels: tongue in back; resonating cavity in front of mouth

Tongue Height + Tongue Advancement

= 9 Positions

ADVANCEMENT HEIGHT VOWELS

Front High /i, I/

Front Mid /e, ɛ/

Front Low /æ/

Central High none

Central Mid /ə, ʌ, ɚ, ɝ/

Central Low none

Back High /u, Ʊ/

Back Mid /o, ɔ/

Back Low /ɑ/

Tension

Tense Vowels: increased muscular tension in the tongue

Lax Vowels: opposite of tense; decreased muscular tension

Neutral Vowels: tongue usually in rest position

Lip-Rounding

Rounded Lips Back vowels

Unround/retracted Lips Front vowels

Neutral Central vowels

Vowel Quadralateral (chart)

Front Vowel: /i/

Description: Front, high, tense, unround Sometimes changed to /I/

Hear /hir/ /hIr/

Sounds like: Eat, leave, money

Front Vowel: /I/

Description: Front, high, lax, unround

Sounds like: In, mitt

Front Vowel: /e/

Description: Front, mid, tense, unround

When elongated = diphthong /eI/Occurs more often

Sounds like: Operate, vacation

Front Vowel: /ɛ/

Description: Front, mid, lax, unround

Sounds like: End, head

Front Vowel: /æ/

Description: Front, low, lax, unround

Sounds like: Add, cat

Central Vowels

The central vowels are more difficult to teach because there is a lot of variation in central tongue positioning.

Central Vowel: /ʌ/

Description: Central, mid, tense, neutral lip rounding Occurs in stressed syllables only

Referred to as: “caret”

Sounds like: Under, tub

Central Vowel: /ə/

Description: Central, mid, lax, neutral lip rounding Occurs in unstressed syllables

Referred to as: “shwa”

Sounds like: Away, elephant, arena

Central Vowel: /ɝ/

Description: Central, mid, tense, rounded Occurs in stressed syllables only Duration is longer and more tense as

compared to /ɚ/

Sounds like: Earth, learn, her

Central Vowel: /ɚ/

Description: Central, mid, lax, neutral lip rounding Occurs in unstressed syllables Most often in final position of words

Referred to as: “shwar”

Sounds like: Understand, mother

Rhotic Vowels /ɝ, ɚ/

Rhotacized: refers to positioning or influence of /r/ Often misarticulated Both have retroflex Tongue-tip is curled or pulled back Tongue is arched in middle

Rhotic /ɝ,ɚ/ vs /r/

RHOTIC /ɝ,ɚ/ Greater duration Constitutes a syllable Tongue movement

toward, rather than away from the consonant /r/ position

It is never voiceless following voiceless consonants, as /r/ may be

/r/ CONSONANT Shorter duration Never constitutes a

syllable Tongue movement is

away from /r/ position

Back Vowel: /u/

Description: Back, high, tense, round

Sounds like: Oops, fruit, tu

Back Vowel: /Ʊ/

Description: Back, high, lax, round Only occurs in medial positions of

words Lips are not as round as /u/

Sounds like: Cook, would

Back Vowel: /O/

Description: Back, mid, tense, round

When elongated = diphthong /oƱ/

Occurs more often

Sounds like: Obey, nobility

Back Vowel: /ɔ/

Description: Back, mid, lax, round More prominent in Northeastern dialects;

not common in Southern dialects Frequently collapsed to /ɑ/ in Southern

dialects

Sounds like: Off, talk, jaw

Back Vowel: /ɑ/

Description: Back, low, lax, round Very little rounding

Sounds like: On, stop