Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

Vowels

Descriptive Grammar

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

iː

ɪ

e

æ

ʌ

ə

ɜː

ɑː

ɒ

ɔː

ʊ

uː

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

iː

ɪ

e

æ

ʌ

ə ɜː

ɑː

ɒ

ɔː

ʊ

uː

front

center

back

high

mid

low

?

?

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

iː

ɪ

e

æ

ʌ

ə ɜː

ɑː

ɒ

ɔː

ʊ

uː

front

center

back

high

mid

low

blade

tip

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

iː

ɪ

e

æ

ʌ

ə

ɜː

ɑː

ɒ

ɔː

ʊ

uː

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

a more accurate

representation

considerable

differences in

height

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[P

OSITIONS

OF

THE

TONGUE

]

tip of the tongue

bows down low

behind the lower

teeth

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[P

OSITIONS

OF

THE

TONGUE

]

the line

representing the

position of the

tongue is an

“average”

Unlike

consonants,

vowels are quite

“unstable”

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

Most speakers
would find it hard
to locate the
vowels

/iː/ /æ/ /ɪ/

/e/

peat, pat, pit, pet

But note the
position of your
lower jaw to figure
it out

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[Q

UADRILATERAL

DIAGRAM

]

Pretty amazing how
easy it is to produce
vowels without
conscious attention or
knowledge of their
position.

Kids imitate sounds
without apparent
difficulty.

Non-human animals
taught speech don’t.

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[

FREQUENCY

]

heed

/hiːd/

hid

/hɪd/

head

/hed/

had

/hæd/

heard

/hɜːd/

hut

/hʌt/

heart

/hɑːt/

hot

/hɒt/

hoot

/huːt/

hood

/hʊd/

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[AMERICAN ENGLISH]

In most speakers of
American English, these
two vowels fuse into
one.

BrE

AmE

hot

/hɒt/

/hɑːt/

heart

/hɑːt/ /hɑːrt/

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[AMERICAN ENGLISH]

In most speakers of
American English, these
two vowels fuse into
one.

hot

/hɑːt/ ≠ hut /hʌt/

got

/gɑːt/ ≠ gut /gʌt/

rot

/rɑːt/ ≠ rut /rʌt/

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[AMERICAN ENGLISH]

In most speakers of
American English, these
two vowels fuse into one.

hot

/hɑːt/ ≠ hut /hʌt/

got

/gɑːt/ ≠ gut /gʌt/

rot

/rɑːt/ ≠ rut /rʌt/

collar /kɑːlɚ/ ≠ color /kʌlɚ/

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[SCOTTISH ENGLISH]

In most speakers of
Scottish English, these
two vowels fuse into
one.

father vs. fad

x

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

1

2

3

4

7

5 6

12

11

10

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

star

______

stir

______

store

______

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

1

2

3

4

7

5 6

ɑː

11

10

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

star

12____

stir

______

store

______

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

1

2

3

4

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

10

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

star

12____

stir

6_____

store

______

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

1

2

3

4

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

star

12____

stir

6_____

store

10____

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

1

2

3

4

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

feet

____

fat

____

foot

____

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

4

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

feet

1___

fat

____

foot

____

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

æ

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

9

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

feet

1___

fat

4___

foot

____

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

æ

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

ʊ

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

feet

1___

fat

4___

foot

9___

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

æ

7

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

ʊ

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

hut

___

hot

___

hoot

___

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

æ

ʌ

5

ɜː

ɑː

11

ɔː

ʊ

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

hut

7__

hot

___

hoot

___

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

æ

ʌ

5

ɜː

ɑː ɒ

ɔː

ʊ

8

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

hut

7__

hot

11_

hoot

___

Vowels

Phonetics and Phonology

Konrad Szcześniak

University of Silesia

[E

XERCISES

]

iː

2

3

æ

ʌ

5

ɜː

ɑː ɒ

ɔː

ʊ uː

front

center

back

high

mid

low

Where are the
vowels?

hut

7__

hot

11_

hoot

8__