Sound in spoken language, articulated with an open vocal tract
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IPA: Vowels
Front
Central
Back
Close
i
y
ɨ
ʉ
ɯ
u
Near-close
ɪ
ʏ
ʊ
Close-mid
e
ø
ɘ
ɵ
ɤ
o
Mid
e̞
ø̞
ə
ɤ̞
o̞
Open-mid
ɛ
œ
ɜ
ɞ
ʌ
ɔ
Near-open
æ
ɐ
Open
a
ɶ
ä
ɑ
ɒ
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This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.
A vowel is a syllabic speech sound pronounced without any stricture in the vocal tract.[1] Vowels are one of the two principal classes of speech sounds, the other being the consonant. Vowels vary in quality, in loudness and also in quantity (length). They are usually voiced and are closely involved in prosodic variation such as tone, intonation and stress.
The word vowel comes from the Latin word vocalis, meaning "vocal" (i.e. relating to the voice).[2]
In English, the word vowel is commonly used to refer both to vowel sounds and to the written symbols that represent them (⟨a⟩, ⟨e⟩, ⟨i⟩, ⟨o⟩, ⟨u⟩, and sometimes ⟨w⟩ and ⟨y⟩).[3]
^Ladefoged & Maddieson 1996, p. 281.
^"Vowel". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
transcription delimiters. A vowel is a syllabic speech sound pronounced without any stricture in the vocal tract. Vowels are one of the two principal...
be any vowel that is more open than a mid vowel. That is, open-mid vowels, near-open vowels, and open vowels can all be considered low vowels. The open...
and transcription delimiters. A central vowel, formerly also known as a mixed vowel, is any in a class of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The...
language, a high vowel can be any vowel that is more close than a mid vowel. That is, close-mid vowels, near-close vowels, and close vowels can all be considered...
The mid central vowel (also known as schwa) is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet...
/ / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters. The Great Vowel Shift was a series of changes in the pronunciation of the English language...
linguistics, vowel length is the perceived length of a vowel sound: the corresponding physical measurement is duration. In some languages vowel length is...
A mid vowel (or a true-mid vowel) is any in a class of vowel sounds used in some spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a mid vowel is that...
In phonology, vowel harmony is a phonological rule in which the vowels of a given domain – typically a phonological word – must share certain distinctive...
transcription delimiters. A back vowel is any in a class of vowel sound used in spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a back vowel is that the highest point...
Front vowels are sometimes also called bright vowels because they are perceived as sounding brighter than the back vowels. Near-front vowels are essentially...
see Wikipedia Media help. This chart provides audio examples for phonetic vowel symbols. The symbols shown include those in the International Phonetic Alphabet...
unrounded vowel, or low front unrounded vowel, is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. It is one of the eight primary cardinal vowels, not...
§ Brackets and transcription delimiters. A vowel diagram or vowel chart is a schematic arrangement of the vowels. Depending on the particular language being...
A nasal vowel is a vowel that is produced with a lowering of the soft palate (or velum) so that the air flow escapes through the nose and the mouth simultaneously...
stresses) are shortened. Vowels in unstressed syllables are shortened as well, and vowel shortening causes changes in vowel quality: vowel reduction. Varieties...
see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters. Cardinal vowels are a set of reference vowels used by phoneticians in describing the sounds of languages...
Look up vowel pointing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Vowel pointing is the inserting of signs used to indicate vowels in certain alphabets. It may...
sound together with an inherent vowel, either â or ô; in many cases, in the absence of another vowel mark, the inherent vowel is to be pronounced after the...
makes the vowels shorter as well. Vowels which have undergone vowel reduction may be called reduced or weak. In contrast, an unreduced vowel may be described...
known as a gliding vowel, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different...
change of vowel quality, but occurs at the beginning of the word, as in the dialects ’Bulengee and ’Dolimi. Because of vowel harmony, all vowels in a word...
According to some authorities, it is the sixth (or seventh if including W) vowel letter of the English alphabet. Its name in English is wye (pronounced /ˈwaɪ/)...
The open central unrounded vowel, or low central unrounded vowel, is a type of vowel sound, used in many spoken languages. While the International Phonetic...
phonetics, vowel roundedness is the amount of rounding in the lips during the articulation of a vowel. It is labialization of a vowel. When a rounded vowel is...
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