Articulatory classification of English vowels

Commutation test

• proves the monophonemic status of diphthongs → any diphthong could be commutated with practically any vowel.
• [bait – bıt] bite - bit
• [bait - bʌt] bite - but
• [bait - bɔ:t] bite - bought

D. Jones

• diphthongs are unisyllabic gliding sounds
• in the articulation the organs of speech start from one position and then elide to another position.
• two vowels [i:, u:] may have a diphthongal glide where they have full length (be, do)
• tendency for diphthongization is becoming gradually stronger.

The position of the tongue

• is characterized from two aspects:
• horizontal movement
• vertical movement

According to the horizontal movement

• Russian phoneticians distinguish five classes:
• front: [i:], [e], [eı], [æ], [eǝ]
• front-retracted: [ı], [ıǝ]
• central: [æ], [ǝ:], [ǝ], [eu]
• back: [ɔ], [ɔ:], [u:], [a:]
• back-advanced: [u], [uǝ].

British phoneticians

• do not single out the classes of front-retracted and back-advanced vowels.
• → both [i:] and [ı] are classed as front
• → both [u:] and [u] are classed as back.

According to the vertical movement

• British scholars distinguish three classes of vowels:
• high (or close),
• mid (or half-open),
• low (or open) vowels.

According to the vertical movement

• Russian phoneticians → more detailed classification:
• distinguishing two subclasses in each class, i.e. broad and narrow variations of the three vertical positions.
• ↓ ↓
• six groups of vowels are distinguished

Lip position

• Three lip positions are distinguished:
• spread,
• neutral,
• rounded.

Lip rounding

• is not relevant phonologically → no two words can be differentiated on its basis.
• takes place rather due to physiological reasons than to any other.