What is a neutral vowel?

A neutral vowel is a vowel sound that is not associated with a specific position of the tongue or mouth. It is often described as a "mid-central" vowel, meaning that the tongue is in a neutral position in the mouth, neither high nor low, front nor back.

Characteristics of neutral vowels:

* No specific tongue position: The tongue is relaxed and in a neutral position.

* No lip rounding or spreading: The lips are neither rounded nor spread.

* Short duration: Neutral vowels are typically short in duration.

Examples of neutral vowels:

* Schwa (/ə/): The most common neutral vowel, found in words like "about," "sofa," and "the."

* Mid-central vowel (/ʌ/): Found in words like "cup," "love," and "sun."

* Glottal stop (/ʔ/): A neutral vowel that is produced by a quick closure of the vocal cords.

Functions of neutral vowels:

* Unstressed syllables: Neutral vowels are often found in unstressed syllables, where they are not pronounced as clearly as stressed vowels.

* Weak forms: In spoken English, many words have weak forms, which are pronounced with a neutral vowel. For example, "the" can be pronounced with a schwa in unstressed contexts.

* Reduction: In rapid speech, other vowels can be reduced to neutral vowels.

Note: The specific phonetic symbols used to represent neutral vowels can vary depending on the language and dialect.

In summary, a neutral vowel is a sound that is produced with a relaxed tongue position and no specific lip movements. It is often found in unstressed syllables, weak forms, and reduced vowels.