English Vowel Length - Essay Example

English Vowel Length Introduction In the study of phonology the sound systems of a certain language is studied. Phonetics studies deal with all possible existent sounds. In contrast to phonetics, phonology studies contrasting relations between sounds (phonemes) and these differences in one language. Every individual has specific pronunciation peculiarities, for example /s/ may be pronounced in a different manner. A phonologist may be interested in discussing peculiarities of different pronunciation types of /s/ in words where only one basic unit of this sound is met. Phonetician would be more interested in articulation peculiarities. Consequently, the phonological system of English consists of “number of phonemes which are used in this language and to how they are organized” (Roach, 2009, p. 115). English language has 12 pure vowel sounds which can differentiate word meanings. The following features differentiate vowels from consonants. Thus, from a phonetic perspective vowels are produced via vocal configuration of the vocal tract: mouth is open and we can hear the sound created by air passing through the mouth (so-called audible friction). From a phonological perspective, vowels consist of sound system units which can take place in the middle of a syllable (e.g., rat, bad). A distinctive principle of vowels discussed in this paper is vowel length. Symbolically, length is symbolized by colon [:] (Roach, 2009). There are 5 relatively long and 7 relatively short vowels. It is possible to distinguish length of vowels in accordance with quantity and quality principles. Length variation is also presented in the following pair of sounds /ɜ:/ and /ə/. The former sound occurs only in stressed syllables in RP (bird, servant); the latter in unstressed ones (above,butter). This pair of sounds doesn’t produce difference in meaning. Length of vowels can be explained not only by quantity features, but also by quality (or place of articulation) (Roach, 2009, p. 17). There is a special name for long vowels, which is tense-lax. This group of vowels is formed by tension of certain mouth muscles. They are: /i/, /e/, /u/, /o/, /ɔ/, /ɑ/. In case when no tension is required, lax vowels appear: /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /æ/, /ʊ/, /ʌ/ (Roach, 2009). Vowels length: principles of distinction In order to illustrate what length of vowels actually means, it is possible to discuss tendencies on the following examples: same-Sam-psalm may be transcribed in the following way: [sem], [sæm], [sɑm]. On this example it is possible to show that concepts of length and duration are different. Relative duration may be exemplified by showing length degree in the same vowel or consonant: allophone [i] in the words bee and beet has different degree of lengths. With regard to the fact if this sound is voiced/voiceless, stopped/constituent degrees of length vary (Clark et al, 2007). From phonetic perspective, degrees of length can be explained by speaker’s habits to speak slowly or quickly, emotional context of the situation of speaking and stress amount carried by syllable. Phoneticians realize difference of length degree and they depict it as follows: [bid], [bi·d], [bi:d], or [bɪid]. Still, in such a way, vowel length is depicted only approximately. If to depict degree of length exactly, then phoneticians have to appeal to phonologists. Phonologic studies may prove many Americans, who underestimate role of vowel length as essential determinant factor of words distinction, that this phenomenon is very important in scientific area. Unfortunately, very often vowel length is underestimated and is considered to have a stylistic value and not practical importance. For phonologists and phoneticians length of vowels is rather meaningful that’s why following consonants or unstressed syllables are all taken into account. For example, in child [tʃaɪld] the diphthong [aɪ] refers to norms of Old English [i:]; in the word children, the extra consonant [r] and the extra syllable caused effect on vowel remain lax and short. Moreover, vowel length is usually defined in case an unstressed follows a stressed vowel and the latter is usually long (e.g. re-enact [ˈri: ənækt]). On the other hand, if unstressed vowel follows stressed vowel, then it is short as a rule (e.g. react [riˈækt]) (Crutenden, 2008). Consequently, vowel length may be influenced by many factors. Phonologists and phoneticians tend to claim that the best way to clearly define if vowel length occurs is to listen to a word carefully. Nevertheless foreigners may find it hard to define “characteristic diphthongal allophones of English tense vowels and in the shortening and relaxing of English lax vowels” (Clark, 2007, p. 120). It is also relevant to native English speakers and foreigners to differ between monophthongs and diphthongs. Length of diphthongs is explained by time required for glide. From a phonological perspective, it is relevant to show the way phonologists determine vowel length. Formants defined by computer spectrogram of the sound waves. The following words are analyzed: bead, bid, bed, bad. In the center of every sound is its formant. In this spectrogram, formants are not direct lines. In the first case, formant frequency is lower than in the second word. Thus phoneticians belive not to their ears but to computer analysis of vowels. Figure 4.4 (Cruttenden 2008, p. 95). In contrast to phonologists, one of the approaches applied by phoneticians is their final/nonfinal positions: From this table it is possible to see that vowel length has a changeable nature and there are no exact methods to define it precisely (from phonetic perspective) (Curtenede, 2008); it depends on its context or pronunciation peculiarities. Opposition relations explaining vowel length can also be seen on the example of the following words: Only the last pair of words is believed to be contrasted in terms of short/long vowels relation. Even in this case vowel length depends on syllables’ accents. In other case, vowel length is defined basing on quantity and quality features. Quality principles are more helpful in this case. Thus the author suggests symbolizing quality opposition (Cruttenden 2008, p. 95) Length definition is facilitated in case both phonological and phonetic approaches are applied. As far as we can see, there are certain established rules for vowel length definition. Thus it is claimed that “In accented syllables the so-called long vowels are fully long when they are final or in a syllable closed by a voiced consonant, but they are considerably shortened when they occur in a syllable closed by voiceless consonant”(Cruttenden 2008, p. 95). For example: Duration of English vowels should be considered in different contexts. With this regard the author comes to the conclusion that short vowels are articulated with less muscular tension and he basis analysis conducted on the opposite relations between tense and lax vowels (Clark et al, 2007). As far as we can see, there are different approaches to vowels length definition. Vowels context, tense-lax opposition, principles of articulation are points considered by phoneticians. Phonologists define vowel length on the basis of computer spectrogram analysis. From a cross-linguistic perspective, there is an explanation that duration of vowel is explained in the following way: “vowel is longer when preceding a voiced versus voiceless obstruent” (Tauberer, 2008). Moreover, there have always existed vivid discussions between scientists concerning the fact whether vowel length can be described in terms of phonology or it is a single phenomenon (Chomsky and Halle, 1968; Tauberer, 2008). Thus scientists work hard on developing principles directed on vowel length definition. In accordance with Chen (1970) “the ratio of the mean duration of vowels before voiced consonants to that before voiceless consonants in English is roughly 1.5 with an absolute difference between the mean durations of 92ms” (Tauberer 2008, p. 37 ). Moreover, vowels with greater intrinsic duration are longer. Tempo of speech exerts influence on vowel duration as well. Thus in slow tempo speech VLE is greater than in speech in slow tempo speech (1.18 compared to 1.09) than in fast `tempo' speech (Tauberer, 2008). VLE is valuable in another context of vowel length. Thus it influences on “speaking rate, focus, intrinsic vowel duration, and the presence of (syllabic) primary stress, and there are the phenomena of pre-pausal, pre-boundary, and word-final lengthening” (Tauberer 2008, p. 39). Hu (1970) found a voiced/voiceless vowel duration difference in the context the /t,d/ apping . In another research, vowels length depends on vowels height. Data provided: r = .68 (N=15) +18ms for every +100 Hz F1 (Tauberer 2008, p. 40). It is claimed that the lower the vowel the greater its ‘intrinsic’ duration is. Figure 2. Intrinsic vowel duration. (Tauberer, 2009) This claim is supported from two perspectives. Both physiological and phonological principles are taken into account by researchers. Nevertheless physiological principles are criticized by some researchers (in accordance with Tauberer) because “low vowels have longer steady states, not transitions” (Tauberer, 2008). In 70s there was a claim that duration might be distinguished. During a sound change intrinsic duration is changed as follows: in case vowel is lowered, “the physiological explanation predicts the vowel’s intrinsic duration will increase the phonological explanation predicts that the duration target will remain unchanged — other things being equal” (Tauberer, 2008). It is supposed that when vowel undergoes sound change, then its duration is changed respectively. Figure 3. Intrinsic vowel length (part 2) (Tauberer, 2009). This diagram shows that significant correlation is between IH and EH, but in dialects where the vowel is higher, IH was longer (Tauberer, 2009). Figure 4. Intrinsic vowel length (part 3) (Tauberer, 2009). Formant trajectories are subjected to sound change also. Empirically it is suggested that monophthongization and diphthongization processes may influence on intrinsic vowel increase or decrease independently from vowel height. Conclusion Consequently, the issue of vowel length is of great interest for many scientists and researchers. There are different approaches in phonology and phonetics to vowel length definition. It is possible to notice that different criteria developed by phoneticians and phonologists it is clearly seen that vowel length has changeable nature dependent on physiological and phonetic principles. There is a need to combine phonetic and phonological approaches in order to define more exact criteria of vowel length definition. Works cited 1. Chen, Matthew. 1970. Vowel length variation as a function of the voicing of the consonant 2. Chomsky, N., and M. Halle., 1968. The sound pattern of English. New York, NY: Harper &Row. 3. Clark, J., Yallop, C., and Fletcher, J., 2007. An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology. 3rd Edition. Malden, MA, Oxford, UK and Victoria, Australia: Blackwell Publishing. 4. Cruttenden, A. Ed., 2008. Gimson’s Pronunciation of English. 7th Edition. London: Hodder Education. 5. Roach, P. 2009. English Phonetics and Phonology. 4th Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 6. Tauberer, J., 2008. Dissertation Proposal: Two acoustic correlates of [voice] in American English-speaking children and what they tell us about the development of phonetics and phonology. 7. Tauberer, Joshua and Evanini, Keelan, 2009. Intrinsic Vowel Duration. University of Pennsylvania. Read More