Vowel

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Vowel

A vowel is a phonetic sound used in spoken languages that is produced by the vocal cords. It is a type of phoneme that is characterized by an open configuration of the vocal tract, allowing more airflow than consonants.

Types of Vowels[edit | edit source]

There are several types of vowels, including:

  • Monophthongs: These are simple, or "pure," vowels with a single perceived auditory quality.
  • Diphthongs: These are complex vowels composed of a sequence of two different configurations of the vocal tract.
  • Triphthongs: These are complex vowels composed of a sequence of three different configurations of the vocal tract.

Vowel Length[edit | edit source]

In some languages, such as Finnish and Japanese, vowel length can distinguish words. This is known as a phonemic difference.

Vowel Systems[edit | edit source]

Different languages have different vowel systems. For example, the English language has a complex vowel system with many different vowel sounds, while the Spanish language has a simpler system with only five vowel sounds.

Vowel Modification[edit | edit source]

Vowels can be modified in various ways, including:

  • Nasalization: This occurs when the air escapes through the nose as well as the mouth.
  • Rounding: This occurs when the lips are rounded during the production of the vowel.
  • Tenseness: This refers to the muscular tension involved in producing the vowel.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Vowel Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD