Vowels and spelling

Types of syllables

• open - end with a vowel
• closed - end with a consonant

rule of thumb#1

always divide your word into syllables and find the stressed one before transcribing

Tense and lax vowels

tense vowels

i

eɪ

ər(r-colored schwa)

u

oʊ

aɪ

ɔ

ɑ

• in open(more often) or closed syllables, at the ends of words (if the vowel is not silent)
• exception: in words that end with a silent [e] - mate, cove, kite, cute
• are longer than lax vowels

lax vowels

ɪ

ɛ ([e] in bed)

æ

ə

ʌ

ʊ

ɔɪ

• can’t be in open stressed syllables
• mostly in in one-syllable words that end in consonants
• are shorter than tense vowels

They come in pairs:

i ɪ beat - bit

eɪ ɛ bait - bet

u ʊ boot - foot

rule of thumb#2

• you can’t use a lax vowel in open and stressed syllables
• in closed syllables all types of vowels can occur, but lax are more likely
• in open syllables tense vowels are more likely
• in case of pairs, make yourself a minimal pair of the word you are transcribing and another that has exactly the same sounds but the other vowel form the pair

vowel reduction

• occurs in unstressed syllables
• some vowels get reduced to ə , ɪ , ʌ
• ɔ , ʊ , ɔɪ are never reduced and always occur in their full form
• every English vowel can occur in both stressed and unstressed syllables

rule of thumb#3

• if you can’t hear a difference between ə and ɪ, it most likely doesn’t matter because in certain contexts they are somewhat inbetween
• not all unstressed syllables will have a reduced vowel!!!