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• Vowel


  Sounds in which there is no obstruction to the flow of air as it passes from the larynx to the lips
• Consonant


  Sounds that do obstruct the flow of air more than some vowels
• Some English sounds that we think of as consonants, such as the sounds at the beginning of the words 'hay' and 'way', do not really obstruct the flow of air more than some vowels
• Different languages have different ways of dividing their sounds into vowels and consonants
• The most important difference between vowel and consonant


  Not the way that they are made, but their different patterns of distribution
• Distribution of sounds


  The study of the different contexts and positions in which particular sounds can occur
• English words beginning with the sound h


  • Most are vowels that can follow (e.g. e in 'hen'), but practically none are consonants except j in 'huge'
• English words beginning with the sound bi

  • Many cases where a consonant can follow (e.g. d in 'bid', or l in 'bill'), but practically no cases where a vowel may follow
• Tongue shape and position


  The first matter to consider in how vowels differ from each other
• Close vowels


  • Sounds produced with the tongue close to or touching the roof of the mouth, also called "high vowels"
• Open vowels


  • Sounds produced with the tongue far from the roof of the mouth, also called "low vowels"
• Difference between i: and æ

  A difference of tongue height
• Front vowels


  • Vowels produced with the front part of the tongue raised towards the roof of the mouth
• Back vowels


  • Vowels in which the back of the tongue is the highest point
• Cardinal vowels


  A standard reference system, the range of vowels that the human vocal apparatus can make
• Primary cardinal vowels


  The vowels that are most familiar to the speakers of most European languages
• Secondary cardinal vowels


  The vowels that are less familiar to the speakers of European languages
• Cardinal vowel [i]


  • The vowel which is as close and as front as it is possible to make a vowel without obstructing the flow of air enough to produce friction noise
• Cardinal vowel [ɑ]


  • The most open and back vowel that it is possible to make
• Cardinal vowel [u]


  • Fully close and back
• Cardinal vowel [a]


  • Fully open and front
• Lip-position


  Another important variable of vowel quality
• Rounded


  • The corners of the lips are brought towards each other and the lips pushed forwards, as in cardinal vowel no. 8 [u]
• Spread


  • The corners of the lips moved away from each other, as for a smile as in cardinal vowel no. 1 [i]
• Neutral


  • The lips are not noticeably rounded or spread, as in the noise most English people make when they are hesitating (written 'er')
• English short vowels


  Short vowels are only relatively short
• Symbols for English short vowels

  • ɪ, e, æ, ʌ, ɒ, ʊ
• ɪ


  • Though this vowel is in the close front area, compared with cardinal vowel no. 1 [i] it is more open, and nearer in to the centre. The lips are slightly spread.
• e


  • This is a front vowel between cardinal vowel no. 2 [e] and no. 3 [ɛ]. The lips are slightly spread.
• æ


  • This vowel is front, but not quite as open as cardinal vowel no. 4 [a]. The lips are slightly spread.
• ʌ


  • This is a central vowel, it is more open than the open-mid tongue height. The lip position is neutral.
• ɒ


  • This vowel is not quite fully back, and between open-mid and open in tongue height. The lips are slightly rounded.
• ʊ


  • The nearest cardinal vowel is no. 8 [u], but it can be seen that ʊ is more open and nearer to central. The lips are rounded.
• Schwa


  One other short vowel, for which the symbol is ə. This central vowel is a very familiar sound in English; it is heard in the first syllable of the words 'about', 'oppose', 'perhaps'.