What is the definition of a vowel in linguistics?
A vowel is a speech sound pronounced without any obstruction in the vocal tract. This definition distinguishes it from consonants which require some form of constriction or closure along the airway.
Questions about Vowel
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who developed the cardinal vowel system for describing vowels?
Daniel Jones developed the cardinal vowel system to describe vowels using tongue height backness and lip rounding. The International Phonetic Alphabet treats the traditional quadrilateral as an abstraction rather than a direct map of tongue position.
Which languages have contrastive exolabial and endolabial rounding features?
Swedish and Norwegian remain the only known languages where exolabial and endolabial rounding are contrastive features. Lip rounding creates acoustic changes by decreasing the second formant frequency.
How many vowels does Standard Danish contain compared to other Germanic languages?
Standard Danish contains between eleven and thirteen short vowels while the Amstetten dialect of Bavarian has been reported to hold thirteen long vowels. Germanic languages often boast some of the largest inventories available.
Why do English spelling inconsistencies exist regarding vowel sounds?
The Great Vowel Shift explains differences in pronunciation between English and its related languages after printing was introduced to England. Spelling became standardized before dramatic changes occurred in the pronunciation of vowel phonemes during recent centuries.