Phonetics 2: Vowels

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to vowels in phonetics, Canadian English vowels, and the phonetics of signed languages, based on the LIN101H5 lecture notes from Jessamyn Schertz.

Vowels

Speech sounds produced with an unobstructed airstream.

Consonants

Speech sounds produced when articulators approach each other, creating constrictions in the vocal tract.

Vowel Quality

The difference between what we perceive as different vowels, determined by the configuration of the tongue and lips.

Monophthongs

Vowels that are stable and maintain the same quality throughout their articulation.

Diphthongs

Vowels that are dynamic and change in vowel quality during their articulation.

Tongue Height (Vowels)

A parameter for describing vowels based on how high or low the tongue is in the mouth (e.g., high, mid, low).

Tongue Backness (Vowels)

A parameter for describing vowels based on how far front or back the tongue is in the mouth (e.g., front, central, back).

Lip Rounding (Vowels)

A parameter for describing vowels based on whether the lips are rounded or unrounded during articulation.

Tense Vowels

Vowels produced with greater muscular tension and longer duration, often found at the end of single-syllable words in English (e.g., [i], [u], [e], [o], [ɑ] in Canadian English).

Lax Vowels

Vowels produced with less muscular tension and shorter duration, which typically do not end single-syllable words in English (e.g., [ɪ], [ʊ], [ɛ], [ʌ], [ə], [æ] in Canadian English).

Caret [ʌ]

A mid central unrounded lax vowel used in stressed syllables (e.g., 'buck').

Schwa [ə]

A mid central unrounded lax vowel used in unstressed syllables (e.g., 'about').

Vowels before /r/

Vowels that tend to be significantly affected by the /r/ sound, especially when /r/ is in the coda position of a syllable (e.g., 'beer' [biɹ]).

Typology (Linguistic)

The cross-linguistic patterning of sound structures, examining which structures are more or less common globally.

I-U-A Triangle

The observation that the vowels /i/, /u/, and /a/ occur most commonly across the world's languages.

Adaptive Dispersion Theory

A theory proposing that sound systems evolve to maximize perceptual contrasts between sounds.

Canadian English Vowel Inventory

A relatively large vowel system featuring 9-12 monophthongs, depending on the specific dialect being analyzed.

Vocal Modality

The mode of language production and perception using the vocal apparatus, characteristic of spoken languages.

Manual Modality

The mode of language production and perception using arms, hands, and fingers, characteristic of signed languages.

Manual Articulators (Signed Languages)

The arms, hands, and fingers, which are primary structures used to produce signs.

Nonmanual Articulators (Signed Languages)

The torso, head, and facial features, which contribute to the production and meaning of signs through complex and varied movements.

Joint (Signed Languages)

A point in the body where bones connect to allow movement, such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, base knuckles, and interphalangeal joints.

Movement (Signed Languages Joint)

The type of motion a joint performs, including abduction, adduction, extension, flexion, and rotation.

Handshape (Signed Languages Parameter)

One of the four parameters describing manual articulators, referring to the configuration of the base knuckles and interphalangeal joints.

Orientation (Signed Languages Parameter)

One of the four parameters describing manual articulators, referring to the direction the hand is facing due to the configuration of the other four joints.

Location (Signed Languages Parameter)

One of the four parameters describing manual articulators, referring to where in space or on the body the sign is articulated.

Movement (Signed Languages Sign Parameter)

One of the four parameters describing manual articulators, referring to how the manual articulators move during the production of a sign.