Вопрос 2. The system of English vowels.

Definition.

Vowel is a voice sound in forming of which the air stream passes through the mouth freely and no obstruction and no narrowing are made. Acoustically vowels are musical sounds. Nevertheless in formatting of vowels considerable noise and barrowing are sometimes created. On the other hand some consonants as we know possess musical tones (m, n, r, w, y)

A vowel is a voiced sound in forming of which neither obstruction nor narrowing is made that can cause audible friction. Russian linguist Бодуэн де Куртенэ has discovered physiological distinction between vowels and consonants. According to his theory the main principle of their articulation is different: in consonant production the muscular tension is concentrated in one point that is the place of articulation. In formation of vowels the muscular tension is spread all over the speech organs.

While producing vowels the tension may be stronger or weaker. If the muscular tension is weak the vowel is called lax, if strong- tense.

General principles of vowel articulation:

1. Vowels are based on voice which is created in supral-laryngeal cavity (надгортанная полость).

2. Muscular tension is spread all over the speech organs

3. The air stream passes freely no narrowing being on its way

4. The breath force is rather weak

5. Vowel have no special place of articulation. The whole of the speech apparatus takes part in their production.

The classification of vowels is based on the work of all speech organs.

Russian phoneticians suggest to classify vowels according to the following principles:

1. Position of lips

2. Position of tongue

3. Degree of tension and character of vowel end

4. Length

5. Stability of articulation

6. The height of the raised part of tongue

1. According to the 1 principle vowels can be rounded and unrounded. Rounded v are produced when the lips are rounded and slightly protruded [o, o-short, u] and the nucleus [oi], [ou]. Unrounded vowels are produced when the lips are spread neutral [I:, I,ᵋᵊᵆ ] and the nucleus of all diphthongs except [ou, oi]

2. According to the position of tongue v are divided into 2 groups:

1) Front vowels are produced with the tongue in the front part of the mouth while the front of the tongue is raised in the direction of the hard palate, forming a large empty space in the black of the mouth[ I,ᵋᵊ, ᵊ] and the nucleus of [ᵋᵊ].

2) Front retracted v are produced with the tongue in the front part of the mouth but some retracted, as compered with the position [I, i:, ᵆ], the front of the tongue is raised in the direction of hard palate [i].

3) Central v are those in which the central part of the tongue is raised towards the /// between the hard and soft palate [ᶟ, ᶛ,ᶺ] and nucleus of [au].

4) Back vowels are produced with the mouth, while the back part of the tongue is raised in the direction of the soft palate [o, o:, u, u:] and nucleus of [oi].

5) Back advanced vowels are produced with the tongue in the back part at the mouth but somewhat advanced as compered with the position of the back vowels, while the back part of the tongue is raised towards the soft palate [a:, y].

3. According to the degree of the tension v are divided into tense and lax. Tense v are produced when the speech organs are tense (all long English vowels are tense). Lax v are produced the less tension of speech organs (all short eng v are lax)

According to the character of their end v may be checked and unchecked. Checked v are pronounced without lessening the force of utterance towards the end. They have strong end. English short v are checked under stress. Unchecked v are produced with lessening the force of utterance towards the end. Unchecked v have weak end. English long vowels and diphthongs under stress are unchecked.

4. According to length v may be long and short. Vowel length depends on different linguistic facts:

1) Position in the word [be, bead, bid]. In the terminal position the vowel is the longest (be). The vowel shorts before the voiced consonant (bead). The vowel is the shortest before the voiced cons

2) The v is longer in stressed syllable.

3) V is shorter in polysyllabic wirds.

4) The character of syllabic structure. In the open type of syllables the v is longer then in word with closed type of syllable.

5. According to the stability of articulation vowels – monophthonges and diphthongs. M- is a pure vowel sound. In each pronunciation don’t change their position. D- is a complex sound which consists of 2 vowel elements that are pronounced so as to form a single syllable. In the pronunciation speech organs start in the position on one vowel and glide gradually in the direction of another vowel. The 1st element is called nucleus , its strong, clear and distinct, 2is glide and weak. In English there are 8 diphthongs. 3 d. with glide towards [i]-ei,ai, oi. 3 with glide towards [ᵊ] - iᵊ, ᵆ, uᵊ. 2 with glide towards [u]- au, ou. Two vowels in English [i:, u:] may have pronunciation of diphthongs. In their articulation speech organs slightly change their position. They are called diphthongoids or diphthongads vowels.

6. According to the height of the raised part of the tongue vowels are close or high. They are produced when on part on the tongue comes close to the roof of the mouth and the air passage is narrowed [I, i:, u, u:]. Open vowels. In their articulation the raised part of the tongue is very low and mouth wild. [a:, o, -] nucleus [ai, au]. Midopen. In their production the raised part of tongue is between its high and low positions [ἒ,ᵊ, o: (перевернутая а)].