Phonetics Continued
Phonetics Continued
Articulation and Description ofEnglish Vowels
Articulation and Description ofEnglish Vowels
Properties of Vowels
Properties of Vowels
Most sonorant (audible) sounds
Sound is caused by vocal fold vibration
Usually function as syllable nuclei
Almost always voiced
Vowel sounds change according to SHAPEof vocal tract, no obstructions in vowels
Most sonorant (audible) sounds
Sound is caused by vocal fold vibration
Usually function as syllable nuclei
Almost always voiced
Vowel sounds change according to SHAPEof vocal tract, no obstructions in vowels
How Many Vowels in English?
How Many Vowels in English?
Teacher said 5 and sometimes y
We say 11 and 3 diphthongs
1/2 of languages have 5, some have 3
Teacher said 5 and sometimes y
We say 11 and 3 diphthongs
1/2 of languages have 5, some have 3
Parameters
Parameters
Review: consonant parameters:
Voicing.
Place of articulation.
Manner of articulation.
Vowel articulation is described using FOURparameters.
Review: consonant parameters:
Voicing.
Place of articulation.
Manner of articulation.
Vowel articulation is described using FOURparameters.
Four Parameters of Vowels
Four Parameters of Vowels
Tongue HEIGHT
High / mid / low
Tongue BACKNESS
Front / central / back
Lip ROUNDING
Round / unround
Tenseness
Tense / lax
Tongue HEIGHT
High / mid / low
Tongue BACKNESS
Front / central / back
Lip ROUNDING
Round / unround
Tenseness
Tense / lax
Vowels of English
Vowels of English
front
central
back
high
mid
low
i
I
e
E
u
o
a
Lax
Tense
Round
Tongue Height
Tongue Height
Put your hand under your chin and say seat,set, sat
High: leak, lick, Luke, look
[I], [I], [u], [U]
Mid: bait, bet, but, bought, boat
[eI], [E], [],[], [o]
Low: cat, con
[Q], [a]
Put your hand under your chin and say seat,set, sat
High: leak, lick, Luke, look
[I], [I], [u], [U]
Mid: bait, bet, but, bought, boat
[eI], [E], [],[], [o]
Low: cat, con
[Q], [a]
Tongue Advancement
Tongue Advancement
Front: seek, sick, sake, sec, sack
[I], [I], [eI],[E], [Q]
Central: luck
[]
Back: ooze, look, road, law, dot
[U], [U], [o], [],[a]
Front: seek, sick, sake, sec, sack
[I], [I], [eI],[E], [Q]
Central: luck
[]
Back: ooze, look, road, law, dot
[U], [U], [o], [],[a]
Lip Rounding
Lip Rounding
In English, only the high and mid backvowels are produced with lip rounding
Round vowels: [u], [U],[o], []
Unround vowels: all the other vowels
In English, only the high and mid backvowels are produced with lip rounding
Round vowels: [u], [U],[o], []
Unround vowels: all the other vowels
Tenseness
Tenseness
Tense vowels
The tongue is at an extreme height or backness
Lax vowels
The tongue is not at an extreme position
Compare Pete and pit
Tense vowels
The tongue is at an extreme height or backness
Lax vowels
The tongue is not at an extreme position
Compare Pete and pit
Diphthongs
Diphthongs
A diphthong is a complex vowel where the tonguebegins in one place and moves to another (a twopart vowel sound)
The vowel diphthongs:
[Ai]: bite
[AU]: bout
[oI]: boy
[eI]: stay ([e] is not a ‘true’ English vowelsound)
(Also: [o]: go, though we may write this with onesymbol)
A diphthong is a complex vowel where the tonguebegins in one place and moves to another (a twopart vowel sound)
The vowel diphthongs:
[Ai]: bite
[AU]: bout
[oI]: boy
[eI]: stay ([e] is not a ‘true’ English vowelsound)
(Also: [o]: go, though we may write this with onesymbol)