Classification of Vowels by Tongue Position:
Vowels are classified by the position of the tongue in the mouth, specifically its height and frontness/backness.
1. Tongue Height:
* High: The tongue is raised towards the roof of the mouth.
* Mid: The tongue is in a neutral position.
* Low: The tongue is lowered towards the floor of the mouth.
2. Tongue Frontness/Backness:
* Front: The tongue is positioned towards the front of the mouth.
* Central: The tongue is positioned in the middle of the mouth.
* Back: The tongue is positioned towards the back of the mouth.
Combining Height and Frontness/Backness:
These two parameters create a grid with nine possible vowel positions:
| | Front | Central | Back |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i, ɪ | | u, ʊ |
| Mid | e, ɛ | ə | o, ɔ |
| Low | æ | a | ɑ |
Examples:
* High Front: /i/ as in "see"
* High Back: /u/ as in "shoe"
* Low Front: /æ/ as in "cat"
* Low Back: /ɑ/ as in "father"
* Mid Central: /ə/ as in "about"
Additional Considerations:
* Lip Rounding: Some vowels are rounded, meaning the lips are pursed together, while others are unrounded.
* Tense/Lax: Vowel sounds can also be classified as tense or lax based on muscle tension in the tongue and jaw.
Note: This classification is a general guideline and there can be variations in vowel production across different languages and dialects.
Visual Representation:
A common visual representation of vowel positions is a vowel chart or a vowel quadrilateral. These charts help visualize the relationship between different vowel sounds.