Lakhasly

Session Three.docx

Session 2: The English Vowels

Vowels are produced without the obstruction of the air when it moves from the lungs to the vocal tract.A white background with black text

Description automatically generated

Cardinal Vowels

They are often known as the eight primary cardinal vowels.There is a large number of vowel sounds with different degrees of length (short or long) described in relation to the cardinal vowels.The cardinal vowels are not typical of English or any other language.It is near to the cardinal vowel

[u] but it is more open.This vowel is near to the cardinal vowel [i].- ?- ?- ?20

4- ?5-?6- ?

Session Three.docx

Session 2: The English Vowels

Vowels are produced without the obstruction of the air when it moves from the lungs to the vocal tract. This is why they are described to be quite sonorous as they have a pleasant and full deep sound when heard. In what ways do vowels differ from each other? The first thing to consider is the shape and position of the tongue. There are many complex possibilities for the movement of the tongue, but they can be simplified by describing just two (2) things:

1-The vertical distance between the tongue and the palate (tongue-height differentiation).

A drawing of a cartoon

Description automatically generated with medium confidence

tongue is at the highest b) tongue is at the lowest
2-The part of the tongue (front or back) which is raised highest

A diagram of the nose and mouth

Description automatically generated

a) front of the tongue b) back of the tongue

Tongue-height differentiation

• 
  

  [i:]in ‘see’ the tongue is raised close to the palate.

  
  


• 
  

  [æ] in ‘cat’ the distance between the tongue and the palate is much greater.

  
  

The difference between [æ] and [i:] is a difference of tongue-height. When describing these vowels, we say that [i:] is a close vowel and [æ] is an open vowel. The tongue-height can be changed by moving the tongue up and down.

Frontness vs. backness

By changing the shape of the tongue, we can produce vowels in which a different part (front, back) of the tongue is raised highest. For example: it is the front part of the tongue that is raised in the case of [i:] and [æ]. We could, therefore, describe them as front vowels. But, in the production of [a:] (like in dark, arm) and [u:] (like in too), it is the back part of the tongue which is raised highest. Thus, [a:] and [u:] are back vowels.

A white background with black text

Description automatically generated

Cardinal Vowels

They are often known as the eight primary cardinal vowels. In other words, they are standard reference system which helps us in learning about the range of vowels that the humans can produce. It is a useful way of describing, classifying and comparing vowels. The cardinal vowels are not typical of English or any other language. They are rather devised to act as reference points to provide precise descriptions of the vowels of any language.

A diagram of a triangle

Description automatically generated

Lip position

There is another important variable of vowel quality and that is lip-position. There are three (3) possibilities:

rounded: the corners of the lips are brought towards each other and the lips are pushed forwards like in [u:]
spread: the corners of the lips move away from each other like in [i:]
neutral: the lips are neither rounded nor spread like in about [ǝ] schwa
A black and white image of a mouth

Description automatically generated

Short Vowels

A diagram of a triangle

Description automatically generated

We use three (3) principles (tongue height/frontness vs. backness/ lipposition) to describe the English vowels. There is a large number of vowel sounds with different degrees of length (short or long) described in relation to the cardinal vowels.

The English language has seven (7) short vowels. The symbols for these

vowels are: ɪ - e - æ - Ʌ - ɒ - ʊ - ə

1- ɪ as in fish, rich, dish, give. The diagram above shows that this vowel is in the close front area. The lips are slightly spread.

2- e as in yes, men, rest, beg, tell, sell. This is a front vowel between half close and half open. The lips are slightly spread.

3- æ as in cat, fat, bat, hat. This vowel is front open. The lips are slightly spread.

20

4- Ʌ as in but, cut, dust, rush, some, sun, cup. This is a central vowel

between half open and open. The lips are neutral.

5-ɒ as in not, hot, dog, rock, top, gone, cross, lot. The vowel is back between

half open and open. The lips are slightly rounded.

6- ʊ as in put, push, should, could, book, look. It is near to the cardinal vowel

[u] but it is more open. The lips are rounded.

7-ə as in oppose, perhaps, teacher. It is a central vowel with neutral lips. It is called schwa.

Long Vowels

There are five (5) long vowels. They tend to be longer than the short vowels.

The symbols for these long vowels are: i: - ɜ: - a: - ͻ: - u:

1-i: as in see, free, peace, leave, speech. This vowel is near to the cardinal vowel [i]. It is close front. The lips are slightly spread.

2-ɜ:as in first, third, girl, earth, learns. This is a central vowel with neutral lips.

3-a:as in dark, arm, large, half, mark, car. This is an open back vowel near to the cardinal vowel [a]. The lip-position is neutral.

4-ͻ: as in daughter, more, short, for. This is a back vowel between half close and half open. The lips are rounded

5-u: as in food, tool, soon, wood, rule, blue, choose. This vowel is back close with rounded lips. It is near to the cardinal vowel [u].

The long vowels are different from the short vowels not only in length but also in quality (tongue shape and position and lip position). If we compare short ɪ with long i: or short ʊ with long u: or short æ with long a:, we can see differences in tongue shape and position and lip-position, as well as in length.

The English short and long vowels are often called monophthongs as opposed to diphthongs. he description of these vowels is summarised in the following table:

A white paper with black text

Description automatically generated

This diagram shows short and long vowels all together:

A diagram of a triangle with letters and numbers

Description automatically generated