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Vowels 2

Vowels 2. LIN 3201. Some reminders about vowels…. 1. Vowels are described in three basic parameters:. Tongue height : [i] vs. [a] (high vs. low /close vs. open) Tongue backness : [i] vs. [u] (front vs. back) Lip rounding : [i] vs. [y] (rounded vs. unrounded).

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Vowels 2

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  1. Vowels 2 LIN 3201

  2. Some reminders about vowels…

  3. 1. Vowels are described in three basic parameters: • Tongue height: [i] vs. [a] (high vs. low /close vs. open) • Tongue backness: [i] vs. [u] (front vs. back) • Lip rounding: [i] vs. [y] (rounded vs. unrounded)

  4. 2. Vowels, as syllable nuclei, may occur alone in the nucleus or with other sounds • Pure vowels– a single vowel that maintains tongue positioning and lip rounding state during entire production of the vowel; [i] or [o] • Glided vowels– a combination of a vowel and another vowel or an approximant in the same syllable; tongue and lip position “glides” from production of sound a to sound b; [iy] or [ow] • Also known as diphthongs • Perceived asbeing a single unit

  5. 3. Vowels are organized into a reference system known as Cardinal Vowels (CVs) • Cardinal vowels are a system of universal reference vowels • They don’t necessarily coincide with vowels of any one language (Especially not English!) • Considered to be auditorily equidistant steps, so your tongue doesn’t necessarily move in equidistant steps • They are all peripheral (occurring at the outermost boundaries of the vowel system) and pure

  6. Primary CVs From 1-2-3-4 are equidistant steps; steps 5-8 continue with increasing roundness

  7. Secondary CVs Version of Primary CVs with opposite rounding; because rounding state affects acoustics, steps are not equidistant like they are with primary CVs

  8. 4. Some languages use an additional features to describe vowel qualities • Sometimes called “tense” vs. “lax” vowels, where tense = tightened tongue musculature • Used to distinguish vowels in English [i] vs. [I] • Be cautious, this terminology is controversial • Some languages, like Akan or Twi, do have a vowel distinction in pharynx width • ATR – Advanced Tongue Root – is a better description than tense or lax (+ATR or –ATR) • Involves lowering the larynx or advancing the root of the tongue so that the pharyngeal cavity is enlarged

  9. 5. There are additional modifications affecting vowels • Nasalization – send air through nasal cavity during production of vowel • Voicelessness – devoice vowel • Length – vowel increase in length • Diphthongs – combine with another vowel (or approximant) in same syllable • Rhotacization – adding “r-coloring” to vowel, as in American English pronunciation of bird • Gliding in general – adding vowel or approximant in the same syllable before producing the primary vowel (on-glide) or after (off-glide)

  10. Samples of vowel modification KNOW the diacritics for voicelessness, nasalazation and length!

  11. IPA Vowel Chart for LIN 3201 Courtesy of Dr. Caroline Wiltshire

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