1. Introduction to English Pronunciation
English Vowels

2. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Overview
Production of Speech Sounds
The Articulators
Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters)
Cardinal Vowels
English Vowel System (R.P.)
Short Vowels
Long Vowels
Diphthongs and Triphthongs

3. 1. Production of Speech Sounds
How are speech sounds produced?
Sound is produced when air is set in motion. The speech production mechanism consists of:
an air supply: the lungs and muscles in the chest
muscles that modify the flow of air to produce sound: the vocal folds and larynx
a set of filters that modifies the sound in various ways:
the pharynx the oral cavity the nasal cavity

4. Nasals and Orals

5. The Articulators

6. The Tongue

7. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Overview
Production of Speech Sounds
The Articulators
Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters)
Cardinal Vowels
English Vowel System (R.P)
Short Vowels
Long Vowels
Diphthongs and Triphthongs

8. 2. Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Sounds can be classified as consonants or vowels:
1. Phonetically:
Articulatory distinction:
The obstruction of the air stream:
Consonants are produced with greater obstruction to the air stream
Acoustic distinction:
Prominence:
Vowels are more prominent than consonants

9. Problem with the Phonetic Distinction…
The phonetic definition doesn’t always work... Consider /w/, /h/ & /j/ phonetically like vowels: no obstruction Should they, therefore, be classified as vowels?

10. Distribution Sounds can be classified as consonants or vowels:
2. Phonologically (by their distribution – their position):
This is the syllable structure for the word wet:
w e t
Consider the distribution of /w/ in word, or /h/ as in hi or /j/ as in yellow
/w/, /h/ & /j/ are phonologically like consonants: in their distribution
Syllable
(Consonant)
(Vowel)

11. Vowel Classification Can we classify vowels as voiced/voiceless?
All vowels are voiced, the vocal cords vibrate during their production
Can we classify vowels as oral/nasal?
All vowels are oral, the velum is raised during their production
In what way, then, do vowels differ from each other?

12. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Overview
Production of Speech Sounds
The Articulators
Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters)
Cardinal Vowels
English Vowel System (R.P)
Short Vowels
Long Vowels
Diphthongs and Triphthongs

13. 3. Variety in Vowels(Phonetic Parameters)
Vowels vary according to:
1. Tongue Height (the vertical distance between the upper surface of the tongue and the palate)
e.g. /i:/ as in see  close/high vowel
tongue is held near the roof of the mouth
/æ/ as in cat  open /low vowel
the distance between the surface of the tongue and the roof of the mouth is greater
Tongue height can be changed by:
i. moving the tongue up or down
ii. moving the lower jaw up or down

14. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Tongue Height

15. Variety in Vowels
2. Tongue Position: Frontness/Backness (describing the part of the tongue that is raised highest in the horizontal axis)
e.g. /i:/ as in see, /æ/ as in cat  front vowels: front part of the tongue is the highest
/α:/ as in calm /u:/ as in too  back vowel: back part of the tongue is the highest

16. Tongue Position

17. Variety in Vowels 3. Lip Rounding (the shape of the lips)
There are three possibilities:
Rounded: the corners of the lips are brought together and pushed forward.
e.g. /u:/ as in too.
ii. Spread: the corners of the lips are moved away from each other, as for a smile.
e.g. /i:/ as in see.
iii. Neutral: the lips are not noticeably rounded or spread.
e.g. /ɜ:/ as in bird.

18. Lip Rounding

19. Lip Rounding

20. Length vowel length is the perceived duration of a vowel sound
Many languages do not distinguish vowel length, and those that do usually distinguish between short vowels and long vowels
Cantonese
Minimal pairs: Ship sheep wet wheat
Bitten bite
Lab label
the italian man who went to malta

21. Phonetic Parameters Tongue Height (high vs. low) + (close vs. open)
Tongue Position
(front vs. back)
Lip Rounding
(round vs. unrounded)
Length
(long vs. short)

22. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Overview
Production of Speech Sounds
The Articulators
Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters)
Cardinal Vowels
English Vowel System (R.P)
Short Vowels
Long Vowels
Diphthongs and Triphthongs

23. 4. Cardinal Vowels

24. Cardinal Vowels

25. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Overview
Production of Speech Sounds
The Articulators
Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters)
Cardinal Vowels
English Vowel System (R.P)
Short Vowels
Long Vowels
Diphthongs and Triphthongs

26. 5. English Vowel System (R.P.)
There are 20 vowel sounds in BBC English/RP (GA has 15)
These are divided into monophthongs and diphthongs.
The 12 monophthongs can be differentiated along the 4 dimensions we have mentioned:
horizontal tongue position (tongue forward, mid, or back in the mouth)
vertical tongue position (tongue high, mid, or low in the mouth)
lip position (round, spread, or neutral)
length (short or long – long vowels are transcribed with / :/)

27. English Vowels (R.P.)

28. Introduction to English Pronunciation
Overview
Production of Speech Sounds
The Articulators
Vowel-Consonant Distinction
Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters)
Cardinal Vowels
English Vowel System (R.P)
Short Vowels
Long Vowels
Diphthongs and Triphthongs

29. 6. Diphthongs and Triphthongs
Diphthongs are glides beginning on or near one monophthong and moving towards (but not necessarily arriving at) another monophthong
They are divided into closing and centring
The closing diphthongs (sometimes called rising) begin with the tongue low in the mouth and glide upwards towards /ɪ/ or /Ʊ/ from front or back tongue positions upwards
The centring diphthongs glide from front or back tongue positions towards /ə/ in the centre of the mouth

30. Diphthongs and Triphthongs

31. Diphthongs and Triphthongs
What diphthongs occur in the following?
Now my boy
They know
Hear their fury

32. Diphthongs and Triphthongs
The 5 triphthongs in BBC/RP are formed by adding schwa /ə/ to the diphthongs which do not already end in schwa.
Which triphthongs occur in the following?
layer loyal fire power lower
/eIə/ /ɔIə/ /aIə/ /aʊə/ /əʊə/

33. materials adapted from:
Acknowledgements
materials adapted from:
Altweejry, Thekra
Jenkins, Jennifer
Roach, Peter