PHONETICS

LESSON THREE:

Long vs Short Vowels

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According to the tenseness of the organs of speech, vowels are classified into
one of two groups: tense and lax. Tense vowels are relatively higher and more
marginal, while lax are shorter, lower, and slightly more centralised. Carr (2008: 175)
claims that “tense vowels are articulated closer to the periphery of the vowel space and
are typically longer than their lax counterparts”. Of 12 English pure vowels, five are

termed as long in duration: /ɑː/, /ɔː/, /iː/, /uː/, /ɜː/, and the remaining seven are termed
as short in duration: /ʌ/, /ɔ/, /ɪ/, /ʊ/, /e/, /æ/, /ə/.

The symbols for long vowels are followed by a length mark of two vertical dots. In addition,
length seems to relate to several pairs of vowels: /ɑː/ - /ʌ/ /ɔː/ - /ɔ/ /iː/ - /ɪ/ /uː/ - /ʊ/ /ɜː/ - /ə/.
However, this is just a functional division.

The difference in length is normally accompanied by a difference in the sound

quality. Thus, the members within a pair in length (e.g. /ɔː/ and /ɒ/) have slightly
different positions concerning the height and advancement of the tongue. Figure (1)
displays English short and long vowels in the cardinal vowel diagram.
Short Vowels: there are seven short vowels.

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

// i:
y:
ie:
a:
fifth
city
ladies
village
with
rhythm
sieve
private
rich
symbol

Examples: wit, thick, o: women

myth, finish u: busy
ay: Monday
ai: fountain

When you say this vowel sound, the front of the tongue is raised towards the palate. In
fact, the position of the whole tongue is relatively high in the mouth, making it a
closed vowel. The lips are slightly spread.

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/e/ e:
a:
eo:
egg
any
leopard
ea: realm
Examples: bet, many, ei: leisure
set, meant

The front of the tongue is used in the production of this vowel, making it a front
vowel. It is also a closed/middle vowel in that the position of the tongue and jaw is
slightly raised. The lips are slightly spread.

In conversational spelling, this sound is spelt with an

/æ/ “a”. It can also be spelt with an “ai” as in “plait” or

“plaid”.

Examples: hat, man,

cash, cap

This sound is a front vowel since the front part of the tongue is raised when it is
articulated. It is also an open (low) vowel. This means that the tongue is in a low
position with the jaw also being lowered. The lips are slightly spread.
 The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/Ʌ/ o:
oo :
u:
come
flood
sun
ou: trough
Examples: hat, man, oe: does
cash, cap

This is a central vowel, and one which is more open than mid-ranged. The lip position
is a neutral one.

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/ɒ /
o: sorry
au : because
a: what
ou: cough
ow: knowledge

Examples: pot, what

The tongue and jaw are lowered as the back of the tongue is used to articulate this
vowel. Hence it is a back, open (low) vowel. The lips are slightly rounded.

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/ʊ /
o: woman
oo : good
u: full
ou: could

Examples: book,
would, could, put
The tongue and jaw are raised as the back of the tongue is used to articulate this vowel.
Hence it is a back, close (high) vowel. The lips are rounded.

/ә /
Examples: about,
mother, postman

The schwa is an unstressed central vowel and is the most common vowel to appear in
English. It is one of the problems of English teaching that the most common vowel has
no regular character to represent it.

Long Vowels: there are five long vowels.

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/a:/
a: pass
ar : art
au: aunt
er: clerk
ear: hearth
al: calm
Examples: car, far,

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/i:/
ea : leave
ee : seek

Examples: leave, seek

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/u:/
o: who
oo : fool
u: rude
ou: soup
 ew: few
ue: blue
Examples: flu, sue
eu: feudal
oe: shoe
ui: fruit

The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/3:/
W + or : word
our : scourage
ir: bird
yr: myrtle
er: serve
ur: fur
Examples: bird, girl
ear: earh
The sound corresponds in spelling to the following:

/ɔ:/
aw : law
ou : bought
au: taught
a: all
oor: door
oar: hoarse
Examples: bird, girl
our: pour
oa: broad