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