Languages & Linguistics
Monophthong
A monophthong is a single vowel sound that is pronounced without any change in quality or tone. It is a pure vowel sound that does not glide or shift to another sound. Examples of monophthongs include the vowel sounds in "cat," "bed," and "goat."
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3 Key excerpts on "Monophthong"
- C. Jones(Author)
- 2005(Publication Date)
- Palgrave Macmillan(Publisher)
They recognise that such a long/short nomenclature expresses something quite differ- ent from the many occasions when they have used it to describe sat/sate type alternations (1711: 22): And this perhaps might bring our former Division of Sounds into doubt, since that supposes the Difference to arise from their Length or Brevity; whereas here we make the Sounds the same. But this must be here understood of the Formation of the Sounds; that is, the short and long Sounds are produc’d in the same Seats or Places of Formation: but in the former Rule the Hearing only is the Judge of the Sounds as they are emitted, not as to the Place of their Formation. 3.3 Diphthongs and double vowels Perhaps in no other area of the description of phonetic constructs do we find such confusion and complexity , a situation which in many instances arises from a systematic failure (that blight of almost all eightenth century language treatises) to distinguish sound from symbol, although other factors intervene as well. Indeed, definitions and descriptions of what a modern phonetician might recognise as a diphthong are few and far between in the period, only exceptionally do we find comments like those of Tiffin in 1751 (Matthews 1936: 98): ‘A simple Vowel may be distinguished from a Diphthong by the Ear , by this Rule. The Sound of a single Vowel continu’ s the same from first to last if drawn out never so long: therefore, if before you have done you hear yourself making a different Sound from what you begun with, then you have sounded at least a Diphthong, which takes two Sounds into one Breath, or perhaps a Triphthong which takes three’. In general, though, most commentators focus upon the Proper/Improper Diphthong distinction current in the previous generation, although there are some idiosyncratic interpretations when it comes to the detail of definition and exemplification.
eBook - PDFCalvert's Descriptive Phonetics
Introduction and Transcription Workbook
- Pamela G. Garn-Nunn(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Thieme(Publisher)
M ONOPHTHONGS VS . D IPHTHONGS Vowels can also be classified as Monophthongs or diphthongs. The front, back, and central vowels are Monophthong vowels; that is, they are produced with one, unchanged (mono-) position. Diphthongs involve a transition from one vowel position ( on-glide/nucleus ) to another vowel position ( off-glide ). There are two vowels that can be Monophthongal or diphthongal in mainstream American English: the close mid front Monophthong vowel /e/ (diphthong /e ɪ /)and the close mid back vowel /o/ (diphthong /o ʊ /). The diphthong forms are found in stressed syllables and at the end of words.The Monophthong forms occur only in syllables not marked by primary accent. On the following pages each Monophthong and diphthong vowel is described in-dividually. Monophthong vowels are presented in order for front, back, and central vowels, followed by the diphthong descriptions. Each vowel is described in terms of tongue height, placement, lip shape (when applicable), and tenseness/laxness, fol-lowed by a step-by-step analysis of production. The appropriate International Pho-netic Alphabet (IPA) symbol, key words, and examples are supplied for each vowel. You will also find additional information about some of the vowels, especially those that are more often affected by dialectic variation. F RONT V OWELS The front vowels of English, from high to low, are /i ɪ e ɛ æ/. The tongue tip lies just behind and usually touches the inner surface of the mandibular incisors. At the same time, the front or blade of the tongue is raised toward the palate but not closely enough to touch or to cause air turbulence or friction ( Fig. 3.2 ). The necessary tongue-to-palate difference can be achieved in several ways: by differential elevation of the front tongue in relationship to the (stationary) mandible, by holding the front tongue in a high steady position and raising/lowering the mandible, or by some com-bination of both.
eBook - PDFUltimate Speech Sounds
Eliciting Sounds Using 3D Animation
- Kate Beckett(Author)
- 2024(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003401445-4 4 VOWELS OF ENGLISH This chapter explores the vowels (Monophthongs and diphthongs) of English, which are a core feature of accent. Many factors influence the accent of a community, and this leads to a fluid phonology system which further complicates the complex process of transcription. The phonemic contrasts identifiable within a country or region are often phonetically unmotivated but accent-specific, so vowel length has been included here as a contrastive parameter. This section therefore takes a broad, but by no means definitive look, at some key English-speaking countries’ vowel systems while acknowledging the huge variation and continually evolving nature of vowels. Each vowel has a 3D animated video of DARA saying the sound in frontal and lateral views on the Resourceible YouTube channel, and related products (free and for purchase) are available on Resource ible.com. Monophthongs /i/ vowel sound /ɪ / vowel sound /e/ vowel sound /ɛ / vowel sound /æ/ vowel sound /a/ vowel sound /u/ vowel sound /ʊ/ vowel sound /o/ vowel sound /ɔ/ vowel sound /ɒ/ vowel sound 191 Copyright material from Kate Beckett (2024), Ultimate Speech Sounds, Routledge. For non-commercial use by professionals and to be used with individual clients only. All Rights Reserved. /ɑ/ vowel sound /ʌ / vowel sound /ə/ vowel sound /ɚ/ vowel sound /ɝ/ vowel sound Diphthongs /ɪə/ vowel sound /eɪ / vowel sound /eə/ vowel sound /aɪ / vowel sound /aʊ/ vowel sound /ʊə/ vowel sound /ɔɪ / vowel sound /əʊ/ vowel sound Corresponding resources available: Vowels of English 192 Copyright material from Kate Beckett (2024), Ultimate Speech Sounds, Routledge. For non-commercial use by professionals and to be used with individual clients only. All Rights Reserved. Lips are loose and apart. Soft palate is raised to close the nasal passage. Jaw is nearly closed. Front Close Tongue body is raised high and to the front of the mouth.
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