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Description & Classification of Vowels

The document discusses the description and classification of vowels, including their articulation using the tongue and lips. It covers the cardinal vowel diagram and how vowels are classified based on tongue height, tongue position from front to back, and lip rounding. Diagrams and examples of different vowel categories are provided.

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64 views3 pages

Description & Classification of Vowels

The document discusses the description and classification of vowels, including their articulation using the tongue and lips. It covers the cardinal vowel diagram and how vowels are classified based on tongue height, tongue position from front to back, and lip rounding. Diagrams and examples of different vowel categories are provided.

Uploaded by

تقوى ميسون
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PHONETICS

LESSON TWO:
Description & Classification of Vowels
The description and classification of vowels is challenging. Clark and Yallop
(1992) state that the quality of vowels depends on the size and shape of the tract,
which can be modified using the tongue and the lips. The major challenge is to define
the position of the tongue as it moves without forming any significant obstruction
in the oral cavity. As a result, vowels are produced without any specific point of
blockage. The other fundamental articulatory feature of vowels is determined by the
shape and degree of protrusion of the lips.

1. The Cardinal Vowel Diagram


The cardinal vowel diagram devised by the IPA provides a set of reference
points for the articulation and recognition of vowels. In the diagram, vowels are
located on a four-sided figure, which in a way represents the shape of the tongue.
Two dimensions of the diagram correspond to the positions of the tongue vertically
and horizontally. The vertical axis represents tongue height, and the horizontal axis
represents tongue fronting or advancement. The current diagram was systematised by
D. Jones in the early 20th century, though the idea goes back to earlier phoneticians,
2. The Height of the Tongue

The vertical movement of the tongue depicts the height of the body of the
tongue and refers to how high or low the tongue is positioned in the mouth (Figure 2). Carr (2013: 17-21)
categorises the following groups of vowels in relation
to the Cardinal Vowel Diagram:

Figure 2: Vertical positions of the tongue

- high or close vowels articulated with the tongue located as high as possible
in the oral cavity, thus narrowing the passage for the airflow: /ɪ/, /iː/, /ʊ/, /uː/;
- mid or mid-open vowels with the tongue lowered to the mid position in the
oral cavity: /æ/, /ɒ/, /ʌ/, /ɑː/;
- low or open vowels produced with the tongue positioned as low as possible in
order to leave a lot of space for the airflow: /e/, /ɔː/, /ɜː/, /ə/.

The Advancement of the Tongue

The horizontal movement of the tongue, or tongue advancement to the front


position (Figure 3) or back position (see Figure 10 b) is essential in forming
the following groups of vowels as given by Carr (2013: 17-21):

- front vowels articulated with the tongue far forward in the oral cavity toward
the hard palate: /iː/, /ɪ/, /e/, /æ/;

- central or mixed vowels produced with the tongue retracted to the middle
position in the oral cavity: /ʌ/, /ɜː/, /ə/;

- back vowels produced with the tongue retracted as far as possible to shape the
space in the front part of the oral cavity: /ɒ/, /ɔː/, /ʊ, /uː/, /ɑː/.
Figure 3: Horizontal positions of the tongue

The Shape of the Lips

Vowels may also be different from each other with respect to the rounding and
shaping of the lips necessary to enlarge or diminish the space within the mouth. The
following sets of vowels are identified:

- rounded vowels, as the lips shape into a circle or a tube: /ʊ/, /uː/, /ɒ/, /ɔː/;
- spread vowels, as the corners of the lips are moved away from each other:
/ɜː/, /e/, /iː/, /ɪ/, /æ/;
- neutral vowels, as the position of the lips is not noticeably rounded or spread:
/ʌ/, /ɑː/, /ə/.

These various lip shapes are illustrated in Figure 4:

Figure 4: Shapes of Lips

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