Overview: English vowels- Diction

English Vowel TriangleIt’s not as easy as you think.

Description of VowelsThey are unrestricted

The teeth, tongue, and lips do not prevent airflow

They are normally voiced

It has pitch – and can be whispered.

They can be sustainedAs long as you have breath, you can sustain a vowel sound

They have shape or form

And they are the core of the syllable

Four Factors that Affect Shaping and Coupling of Resonators1. Jaw position – opening of mouth

and throat2. Lip position – spreading or

rounding3. Tongue position – arching forward

or backward4. Raised Soft Palate

Raised soft palate1. Resonates: enhances the

vibration and magnifies the sound2. Resonator of Human voice is oral

cavity, pharynx, throat, and chest3. (resonator of violin is the box)

Back pure vowels: tongue is thickened in the back while producing these sounds

Back

Vowe

ls

Back pure vowels: tongue is thickened in the back while producing these sounds

Front pure vowels: tongue is thickened in the front while producing these sounds

Front Vowels

English Pure Vowels

Ɔ

u

ɑ

oƱ

i

eƐæ

I

English Back Pure Vowels

Ɔ

u

ɑ

oƱ

English Back Pure Vowels

Ɔ

u

ɑ

oƱ

blueBrown sugar

opaqueauburn

aqua

English Front Pure Vowels

i

eƐæ

Igreenindigo

redblack

[u]Potential Problems

(see p. 56 in book) Nasal Insufficient lip rounding Insertion [kul] vs. [kuəl]

Practice phrases: Were you there when they crucified my

Lord? I love you, truly. Fools, through and through.

Spellings:1. Grew2. You3. Too4. To5. Two6. Blue

English Pure Back Vowels

[ʊ]Potential Problems

Substitution (diphthong) [ə, u]

Practice phrases: The crooked straight. My faith looks up to Thee. Man is made for the woman and the

woman for the man.

Spellings:1. sugar2. took3. could

English Pure Back Vowels

[o]Potential Problems

Substitution (diphthong)

Practice phrases: For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Come, every soul by sin oppressed. Memory, hither come and tune your merry

notes.

Spellings:1. Violet2. Opaque

In American English, the sound [o] is only used in unstressed, rhythmically short syllables.

“Soul” and “notes” do not contain the [o] sound because they only have one syllable, and therefore, are stressed.

English Pure Back Vowels

[Ɔ]Potential Problems

Insertion of diphthong Inadequate mouth

opening

Practice phrases: That they may offer unto the Lord an

offering in righteousness I saw the cross of Jesus Autumn leaves are now falling

Spellings:1. Auburn2. Moss3. Fall4. Awkward

English Pure Back Vowels

[ɑ]Potential Problems

Insufficient lowering of jaw Spreading lips, as in a grin Retracting the body of tongue Substitution of briɡht [a] for back [ɑ]

Practice phrases: Sing alleluia to the Lord Stir thy church, O God, our Father Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la

la . . . . .

Spellings:1. aqua2. got

English Pure Back Vowels

English Front Pure Vowels

Ɔ

u

ɑ

oƱ

i

eƐæ

I

[i]Potential Problems

Diphthongs: we’ll, heeled, yield, seal

Practice phrases: He shall speak peace unto the heathen Free to be me, God, I really am free. Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me

Spellings:1. Quay2. She3. Breathe4. Green5. Conceive6. People7. Key8. believe

English Pure Front Vowels

[I] Potential Problems

Substitution: been, beautiful, pretty, eternal, women

Vowel reduction: This sound is typically a schwa [Ə], although there are other vowels that can be unstressed or reduced. A reduced vowel is a vowel that can only occur in unstressed syllables, like schwa, and an unstressed vowel is a vowel that can be stressed but is not. Before “ng”, “I” {I} is pronounced [I], as in bring, sing, and think

Typical spellings for vowel reduction of [I} is ly, -y, -ies, and –ing. Any words with these suffixes

have reduced vowels

Practice phrases: Because I have been given

much, I too must give That her iniquity is pardoned Sure on this shining night

Spellings:1. indigo2. Busy3. behold

English Pure Front Vowels

Vowel ReductionVowel reduction: This sound is typically a schwa [ə],

although there are other vowels that can be unstressed or reduced. A reduced vowel is a vowel that can only occur in unstressed syllables, like schwa, and an unstressed vowel is a vowel that can be stressed but is not. Before “ng”, “I” {I} is pronounced [I], as in bring, sing, and think

Typical spellings for vowel reduction of [I] is -ly, -y, -ies, and –ing. Any words with these suffixes have reduced vowels

ʌƏ

ɛ

[ʌ] This sound occurs only in stressed syllables. This includes those

instances where “un” is a prefix emphasizing negation of the root word Spellings: above, us, plum, fuzzy, undone, blood, trouble Potential problems: substitution of [ɑ] ̤ fuzzy/fozie, was, love, one, son PRACTICE PHRASES

Unto us a Son is givenWhat wondrous love is thisI wonder as I wander out under the sky

Above = [Ə.bʌv]

[Ə] This sound occurs only in unstressed syllables. This includes those instances

where “un” is a prefix emphasizing negation of the root word Spellings: magenta, angel, evil, a, of the, cotton, passion, upon The sound only occurs in unstressed syllables or words Because in singing every syllable must have a vowel sound, [Ə] is used in

singing certain syllables which are spoken without a vowels sound, as in little and people

The schwa is a variable, weakly-defined sound. Other sounds in unstressed syllables: [ɪ] happiness, prepare, remember, receive, rejoice

PRACTICE PHRASES Unto us a Son is given Hark! The herald angels sing When I think upon the maidens

Angel and EvilAngel:Evil:

[3] Spellings: bird, purple, ever, counselor, forward, earth,

journey, timbre, martyr Potential problems: Some authorities avoid this sound,

preferring [ʌ] in stressed syllables and [Ə] in unstressed syllables: Bud-bird; but-Bert

Bird = [b3d] vs. bud = [bʌd] Bert = [b3t] vs. but [bʌt] Practice phrases:

Wonderful Counselor, the everlasting Father Let all the world in every corner sing I wonder as I wander out under the sky

Words from TextbookBillPitPetHid HeadPin Pen

LentLintTenTentTinTintTwin

TwentyRinserents

Words from TextbookBillPitPetHid HeadPin Pen

LentLintTenTentTinTintTwin

TwentyRinserents

Words from TextbookEdAddPestPastMenManBed

BadSadSaidThenThan

Words from TextbookBootBookBoatBoughtBoxPoolPull

PolePaulpot