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Cardinal Vowels and Show their Position Through a Diagram
Describe cardinal vowels and show their position through a diagram.
A Cardinal Vowel is a vowel sound produced when the tongue is in an extreme position. The eight cardinal vowels are numbered as follows: 1 [i], 2 [e], 3 [ɛ], 4 [a], 5 [ɑ], 6 [ɔ], 7 [o], and 8 [u]. Daniel Jones (1881-1967) created them in the early 20th century. Jones was a famous British phonetician. These vowels help us understand how different vowels sound and where they are produced in the mouth.
Basic Concept: Cardinal vowels are eight specific vowel sounds. They are not from any particular language but are used as a standard reference. These vowels are positioned at the extremes of vowel sounds. Think of them as the points on a map. They help us locate other vowels.
Position in the Mouth: Each cardinal vowel has a unique position in the mouth. The position depends on how high or low the tongue is and how forward or back it is. For example, the vowel [i] (as in “see”) is produced with the tongue high and towards the front. The vowel [ɑ] (as in “father”) is produced with the tongue low and towards the back.
Front and Back Vowels: Cardinal vowels can be divided into front and back vowels. Front vowels are produced with the tongue positioned towards the front of the mouth. Examples include [i] and [e]. Back vowels are produced with the tongue towards the back of the mouth. Examples include [u] and [o].
High and Low Vowels: Cardinal vowels are also categorized as high or low vowels. High vowels are made with the tongue close to the roof of the mouth. Examples include [i] and [u] (such as i in “machine” and u in “rule”). Low vowels are made with the tongue far from the roof of the mouth. Examples include [ɑ] and [æ] (such as a in “father” or “had”).
The Vowel Diagram: A vowel diagram helps visualize the position of these vowels. Imagine a quadrilateral shape. The top left corner is [i], the top right is [u], the bottom left is [a], and the bottom right is [ɑ]. These points show the extreme positions of the tongue in the mouth. Here is a simple diagram to illustrate the positions of cardinal vowels:
Cardinal vowels are essential tools in phonetics. They help us understand how vowels are produced and where they are positioned in the mouth. Daniel Jones created these vowels as a reference for linguists worldwide. Knowing about cardinal vowels can make studying languages easier and more systematic.