Vowel Sounds

Vowels are described in terms of four different aspects.

Height

Backness

Roundedness

Length

	Front	Near-front	Central	Near-back	Back
Close	● i y ● ɨ ʉ ● ɯ u ● ɪ ʏ ● ɪ̈ ʊ̈ ● ɯ̽ ʊ ● e ø ● ɘ ɵ ● ɤ o ● e̞ ø̞ ● ə ɵ̞ ● ɤ̞ o̞ ● ɛ œ ● ɜ ɞ ● ʌ ɔ ● æ ● ɐ ɞ̞ ● a ɶ ● ä ɒ̈ ● ɑ ɒ
Near-close
Close-mid
Mid
Open-mid
Near-open
Open

	Front	Near-front	Central	Near-back	Back
Close	● i ● ʉ ● ● ɪ ● (e) ● ɵ ◦ ● ə ● o̞ ● ɛ ◦ ● ɔ ● ɐ ● a ◦ ● ɑ
Near-close
Close-mid
Mid
Open-mid
Near-open
Open

References

• AE et al. (2017). Mid back rounded vowel. [online] Wikipedia. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].
• British Library. (2017). The Vowel Sounds of RP. [online] British Library. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].
• Mark Huckvale. Cardinal Vowels. [online] University College London. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].
• Geoff Lindsey. (8 Mar. 2012). The British English vowel system. [online] english speech services. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].
• Geoff Lindsey. (3 Jun. 2012). Funny old vowels. [online] english speech services. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].
• Derek Ross et al. (2018). Received Pronunciation. [online] Wikipedia. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].
• Wells, J.C. (2017). Whatever happened to Received Pronunciation?. [online] University College London. [Accessed 31 Jan. 2018].