VOWELS

Vowels are sounds in which there is no obstruction

to the flow of air as it passes from the larynx to the
lips.
CLASSIFICATIONS

 Monophthongs/ pure vowels : single sound (Long vowels

and short vowels)
 Diphthongs: double sounds
 Triphthongs : triple sounds
 Tongue position and shape:
Front – Central - Back
 Tongue height:
High (Close) – Mid – Low
(Open)
 Lips position/Degree of lip
rounding
Rounded and unrounded
(Neutral - spread – round)
Parts of the tongue
Positions of the tongue
SHORT VOWELS
LONG VOWELS
CARDINAL DIAGRAM/CHART
Primary set
B.E. vowels
Long vowels and short vowels

 Long vowels:
• Short vowels:
• Long vowels tend to be longer than short vowels in
similar contexts. The symbols consist of one single
vowel plus a length mark made of two dots. They are
different from short vowels not only in length but also
in quality, resulting from differences in tongue shapes
and lip positions.
 as in set, pen, fell..
 As in hat, man, cap..
 i: - as in beat, receive, see
 I - as in thick, finish..
 As in cut, bus, come..
 As in cart, pass, laugh..
 As in what, cost..
 As in caught, talk, thought..
 As in book, wood, could
 As in spoon, you, blue..
 Another, brother, the..
 Word, hurt, bird..
 http://soundsofspeech.uiowa.edu/index.html#english
Diphthongs

 1. Definition: A diphthong is a glide from one vowel to

another, and the whole glide acts like one of the long
simple vowels.
• In terms of length, diphthongs are like long vowels.
The most important thing to remember about all the
diphthongs is that the first part is much longer and
stronger than the second part. As a result, the second
part is shorter and quieter.
e.g. /ai/
/eә/
Triphthongs

 A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and

then to a third, all produced rapidly without
interruption.
• There are five triphthongs in English. They are
composed of the five closing diphthongs with /ә/ added
at the end
Describing and identifying vowels

 1. Describing: long/short, high/low, front/back,

rounded/unrounded.
e.g. /e/: short mid front unrounded vowel

 2. Identifying
e.g. long mid central unrounded vowel: /ᴈ:/