Difference between revisions of "/ɜ/"
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| − | The symbol /Éœ/ (a 'turned [[epsilon]]') is used in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] to represent the 'open-mid central un-[''or'' slightly]-rounded vowel': the sound heard characteristically in 'f'''i'''r' (and 'f'''u'''r'), 't'''ur'''n' (and 't'''er'''n'). It is very similar to the most relaxed English vowel, the [[schwa]] (/É™/), and for many speakers is indistinguishable: but it is realized by careful speakers with a slightly tenser tongue (particularly at the back) and some lip-rounding. Because both are very central in the mouth, and relaxed in their realization, it can be very difficult to represent them [[phonetic]]ally with any certainty. (The American linguists [[Fromkin and Rodman]] represent the American equivalent of this sound by /ÊŒ (+ r).) | + | The symbol /Éœ/ (a 'turned [[epsilon]]') is used in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] to represent the 'open-mid central un-[''or'' slightly]-rounded vowel': the sound heard characteristically in 'f'''i'''r' (and 'f'''u'''r'), 't'''ur'''n' (and 't'''er'''n'). It is very similar to the most relaxed English vowel, the [[schwa]] (/É™/), and for many speakers is indistinguishable: but it is realized by careful speakers with a slightly tenser tongue (particularly at the back) and some lip-rounding. Because both are very central in the mouth, and relaxed in their realization, it can be very difficult to represent them [[phonetic]]ally with any certainty. (The American linguists [[Fromkin and Rodman]] represent the American equivalent of this sound by /ÊŒ (+ r)/.) |
It may be represented by many spellings, | It may be represented by many spellings, | ||
Revision as of 22:00, 27 July 2011
For a note on how AWE organizes its group of articles on vowels, basically by aspects of sound and of writing, see category:vowels.
The symbol /ɜ/ (a 'turned epsilon') is used in the International Phonetic Alphabet to represent the 'open-mid central un-[or slightly]-rounded vowel': the sound heard characteristically in 'fir' (and 'fur'), 'turn' (and 'tern'). It is very similar to the most relaxed English vowel, the schwa (/ə/), and for many speakers is indistinguishable: but it is realized by careful speakers with a slightly tenser tongue (particularly at the back) and some lip-rounding. Because both are very central in the mouth, and relaxed in their realization, it can be very difficult to represent them phonetically with any certainty. (The American linguists Fromkin and Rodman represent the American equivalent of this sound by /ʌ (+ r)/.)
It may be represented by many spellings,
- by '-ea-', for example in 'earn' and 'learn';
- by '-e-, for example in 'fern', 'certain' and 'tern';
- by '-i-', in 'birth', 'fir' and 'circle';
- by '-u-', in 'turn', 'church' and 'fur'.
