CLASS 4 English Vowels Articulatory Description and Classification

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CLASS 4: ARTICULATORY DESCRIPTION of ENGLISH VOWELS

 EXERCISE 1: In the diagram below mark all English pure vowels (both long and short) with a dot in the appropriate position and the phonetic symbol next to it. High/Close

Mid-high

Mid-low

Low/open

EXERCISE 2: Odd one out. In each set of vowels/diphthongs indicate the one that does not fit. Briefly explain why it is different.



_________________________________________________________



_________________________________________________________

  

_________________________________________________________



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EXERCISE 3: In the words below indicate the relevant vowels. Transcribe the words using a pronouncing dictionary. (Adapted from: W. Sobkowiak, J. Szpyra “Workbook in English Phonetics & Phonology p.92)

Front vowels

black, border, bury, consonant, thirteen, handkerchief

Rounded vowels

daughter, bandit, artillery, because, armchair, everybody

Long vowels

room, monster, velar, attack, correspond, university

Close (high) vowels

employee, peasant, treachery, question, sugar, Reading (the town)

Closing diphthongs

miner, appreciate, pronounce, nobody, towards, tourism

Centering diphthongs

serious, heroine, imitation, Europe, Riviera, fairness

EXERCISE 4: For each English vowel and diphthongs try to find all possible spellings, including those rare/less regular ones. Illustrate each spelling option with an appropriate word. Use a pronouncing dictionary.



Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________



Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________



 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________



Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________



Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________



Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

 Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________



Spellings: ___________________________________________________________ Examples: __________________________________________________________

EXERCISE 5:

Answer the question below.

What do the three English vowels [ have in common? A. In terms of articulation: ___________________________________________________________________________ B. In terms of distribution (possible positions in a word): ___________________________________________________________________________ C. Why, do you think, it is these three vowels that may only occur in this position? (aasuming that you have correctly identified this position) ___________________________________________________________________________

If you want to revise the description of English vowels, you may visit the following websites (highly recommended): http://www.ic.arizona.edu/~lsp/Phonetics/Vowels/Phonetics4e.html http://ebooks.unibuc.ro/filologie/mateescu/pdf/43.pdf