Classification of vowels
English
vowels have quality and quantity. They may be short
or
long.
Vowels may be classified according to the position
of the tongue.
The tongue can move vertically (up and down) and horizontally
(forward and backward). According to the vertical
movement of the tongue
vowels are divided into close,
mid-open
and open.
According to the horizontal
movement of the tongue
vowels are divided into: front
[ı:], [ı], [e], [æ]; mixed
or central
[ə:], [ə]; back
[u:], [u], [٨],
[
],
[
],
[ a:].
Putting these together:
[ı:] beard (a close front vowel) is produced when the front of the tongue is the highest part, and is near the roof of the mouth.
[æ] bat (an open front vowel) when the front of the tongue is the highest part, but the tongue itself is low in the mouth.
[u:] food (a close back vowel) is produced when the back of the tongue is the highest part, and is near the roof of the mouth.
According to the lip position vowels can be divided into: rounded, unrounded.
According to the degree of tenseness they can fall into tense (long vowels), lax (short vowels).
Vowel sounds
Vowel № 1 [ı:] In pronouncing the English [ı:] the front of the tongue is raised to the hard palate. The air passage between the tongue and the hard palate is narrow. The sides of the tongue are pressed to the upper teeth. The lips are spread, revealing the teeth (phonetic smile).Thus the English [ı:] may be defined as a long, tense, close, front, vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Extremes meet.
Learn to creep before you leap.
Seeing is believing.
Greek meets Greek.
A new broom sweeps clean.
Vowel № 2 [ı] In pronouncing the English [ı] the front of the tongue is raised to the hard palate but not so high as in [ı:]. The air passage between the tongue and the hard palate is a bit wider. The sides of the tongue only touch the upper teeth. The lips are neutral. Thus, the English [ı] may be defined as a short, lax, front, close vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
As fit as a fiddle.
Live not to eat, but eat to live.
Business is business.
A little leak will sink a great ship.
Fish begins to stink at the head.
It is no use crying over spilt milk.
It is ill wind that blows nobody good.
Vowel № 3 [e] In pronouncing the English [e] the front of the tongue is raised to the hard palate, but not so high as in [ı]. The air passage is rather wide. The lower jaw is lowered. Thus, the English [e] may be defined as a short, lax, front, half-open vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
All is well that ends well.
Better late than never.
East or west, home is best.
Eat at pleasure, drink by measure.
Two heads are better than one.
Better to do well than to say well.
Better a small fish than an empty dish.
Vowel sounds
Vowel № 4 [æ] In pronouncing the English [æ] the front of the tongue is slightly raised to the hard palate. The air passage is wide. The jaw is lowered. The lips are spread. The English [æ] is rather lengthened under certain conditions: before sonants and voiced consonants. Thus, the English [æ] may be defined as tense, front, open vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
Habit cures habit.
One man is no man.
A cat in gloves catches no mice.
A hungry man is an angry man.
Every family has a black sheep.
Vowel № 5 [٨] In pronouncing the English [٨] the tongue is retracted from the lower teeth. The back of the tongue is slightly raised to the soft palate. The lips are neutral. Thus, the English [٨] may be defined as short, lax, half- open, back advanced vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
Every country has its customs.
As snug as a bug in a rug.
Well begun is half done.
What’s done cannot be undone.
Lush is nothing but a money-grubber.
Don’t trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.
Vowel № 6 [a:] In pronouncing the English [a:] the tongue is retracted from the lower teeth. It is very low down in the mouth; the back of the tongue is slightly raised to the soft palate. The lips are slightly spread or neutral. Thus, the English [a:] may be defined as a long, tense, back, open vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
He laughs best who laughs last.
After a storm comes a calm.
Hard bargain.
It’s enough to make a cat laugh.
Vowel № 7 [o] In pronouncing the English [o] the tongue is retracted and lowered. The back of the tongue is raised to the soft palate. The jaw is lowered. The lips form an oval-shaped opening. Thus, the English [o] may be defined as a short, lax, slightly labialized, back, open vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
Dot your “I’s”and cross your “t’s”.
Honesty is the best policy.
A little pot is soon hot.