Cardinal vowels are a set of reference vowels that represent specific, well-defined points in the vowel
space. These vowels are used as a standard for describing and comparing the sounds of different
languages. The concept of cardinal vowels was introduced by the linguist Daniel Jones in the early 20th
century.
The cardinal vowels are typically represented on a vowel chart, which is a visual representation of the
vowel space based on tongue height and tongue backness. The chart provides a systematic way to
categorize and compare vowels across different languages. There are eight primary cardinal vowels,
labeled as [i], [e], [ɛ], [a], [ɑ], [ɔ], [o], and [u].
Here's a brief description of each cardinal vowel:
[i]: High front close unrounded vowel.
[e]: Mid-high front close-mid unrounded vowel.
[ɛ]: Open-mid front open-mid unrounded vowel.
[a]: Open front unrounded vowel.
[ɑ]: Open back unrounded vowel.
[ɔ]: Open-mid back open-mid rounded vowel.
[o]: Mid-high back close-mid rounded vowel.
[u]: High back close rounded vowel.
The cardinal vowels serve as a reference point for phoneticians and linguists when analyzing and
describing the vowel systems of different languages. Linguists can use these reference points to
characterize and compare the vowel sounds of a particular language based on their similarity to the
cardinal vowels. The cardinal vowel system provides a standardized way to discuss vowel articulation
and is a valuable tool in the field of phonetics.
1.Give three different names that have been used for the accent usually used for teaching the
pronunciation of British English.
2 What is the difference between accent and dialect?
3 Which word is used to refer to the relative strength of a syllable?
4 How many sounds (phonemes) do you think there are in the following words?
a) love b) half c) wrist d) shrink e) ought
2 Using the descriptive labels introduced for vowel classification, say what the following cardinal vowels
are:
a) [u] b) [e] c) [a] d) [i] e) [o]
3 Draw a vowel quadrilateral and indicate on it the correct places for the following
English vowels:
a) ae b) A c) I d) e
4 Write the symbols for the vowels in the following words:
a) bread b) rough c) foot d) hymn
e) pull f) cough g) mat h) friend
