Close vowel
class of vowel sounds including [i] and [u]
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Vowels beside dots are: unrounded • rounded |
A close vowel, also called a high vowel,[1] is a type of vowel. It is used in many spoken languages. When you say a close vowel, your tongue is very close to the top of your mouth. It isn't touching the top, however, because if it were to touch the top of your mouth, it would be called a consonant.
"Close" /ˈkloʊs/ is recommended by the International Phonetic Association. In America, however, they are called high vowels.[2]
List of close vowels
changeIn the International Phonetic Alphabet are six closed vowels:
- close front unrounded vowel [i]
- close front compressed vowel [y]
- close central unrounded vowel [ɨ]
- close central protruded vowel [ʉ]
- close back unrounded vowel [ɯ]
- close back protruded vowel [u]
There also are three close vowels that don't have symbols in the IPA:
- close front protruded vowel [ʉ̟] (yʷ)
- close central compressed vowel [ÿ] (ɏ)
- close back compressed vowel [ɯᵝ] (u͍)
References
change- ↑ "VOWEL QUALITY". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ↑ Ottenheimer, Harriet (2011). The Anthropology of Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology Workbook/Reader. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. p. 44. ISBN 9781111828851.