Короткі теоретичні відомості. Definition, [i] is front-retracted, close (broad variant), unrounded, short.

MONOPHTHONGS

Definition, [i] is front-retracted, close (broad variant), unrounded, short.

Articulation. The tongue is in the front part of the mouth but slightly retracted. The front part of the tongue nearer to centre than to front is raised to a half closed position. The side rims of the tongue make a light contact with the upper teeth. The tongue is lax. The lips are loosely spread.

Definition [e] is front, mid (narrow variant), unrounded, short.

Articulation. The tongue is in the front part of the mouth. The front of the tongue is raised to the hard palate but not so high as for [i]. The side rims of the tongue make a light contact with the upper teeth. The tongue may be tenser than in case of [i]. The lips are loosely spread.

Definition [a:] is back, open (broad variant), unrounded, long.

Articulation. The mouth is open. The tongue is in the back part of the mouth. The back of the tongue is only slightly raised. No contact is made between the rims of the tongue and the upper teeth. The lips are neutral.

Definition [æ] is front, open (broad variant), unrounded

Articulation. The mouth is more open than for [e]. The tongue is in the front part of the mouth. The front of the tongue is rather low in the mouth. The side rims of the tongue make a very slight contact with the back upper teeth. The tongue is more tense than in case of [e]. This vowel occurs only in closed syllables.

Definition, [P] is back, open (broad variant), rounded, short.

Articulation. This vowel is articulated with the mouth wide open and slight open lip-rounding. The body of the tongue is even more retracted than in case of vowel sound [a;]. The back of the tongue is only slightly raised. No contact is made between the rims of the tongue and upper teeth. It may occur only in closed syllables.

Definition. [L] is back, open (narrow variant), rounded, long.

Articulation. The tongue is in the back part of the mouth. The back of the tongue is raised to a half-open position. No contact is made between the rims of the tongue and the upper teeth. The mouth is less open and the lips are more rounded than for a vowel [P]. This vowel may occur in any position in a word.

Definition, [u] is back-advanced, close (broad variant), rounded, short.

Articulation. The whole body of the tongue is in the back part of the mouth. The back part of the tongue nearer to the centre than to the back is raised just above the half-close position. There is no firm contact between the side rims of the tongue and the upper teeth. The tongue is rather lax. The lips are rounded about the same amount as for [L] but the mouth is not so open. The vowel is short. This vowel may occur in closed stressed syllables. It never occurs in word initial positions.

Definition. [λ] is central, mid (broad variant), unrounded, short

Articulation. The tongue is in the central part of the mouth. The front of the tongue is raised to the back of the hard palate just above the fully open position. No contact is made between the tongue and upper teeth. The tongue is lax. The jaws are considerably separated. The lips are neutrally open. The vowel is short. The vowel does not occur in open syllables.

Definition. [з:] is central, mid (narrow variant), unrounded, long.

Articulation. The tongue is almost flat. The central part of the tongue is slightly higher than the front and the back of the tongue which are raised between the half-close and half-open positions. No firm contact is made between the rims of the tongue and the upper teeth, the lips are neutrally spread, they do not cover the teeth. The passage between the teeth is rather narrow. The vowel is long. This vowel may occur in all positions in the word.

Definition, [ə] is central, mid (broad variant), unrounded, very short.

Articulation. The quality of [ə] is that of a central vowel which veries from a half-open to a half-close position. The lips are unrounded. The opening between the jaws is narrow. The vowel occurs in all unstressed positions in the word.

Завдання до теми

Read the tongue-twisters:

1. Wally Winkle wriggles his white, wrinkled wig.

2. Wayne went to Wales to watch walruses.

3. We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

4. We will learn why her lowly lone, worn yarn loom will rarely earn immoral money.

5. We won, we won, we won, we won

6. We’re real rear wheels.

7. Wetter weather never weathered wetter weather better.

8. What a shame such a shapely sash should such shabby stitches show.

9. What a terrible tongue twister, what a terrible tongue twister, what a terrible tongue twister…

10. What to do to die today at a minute or two to two. A terribly difficult thing to say and a harder thing to do. A dragon will come and beat his drum Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-too at a minute or two to two today. At a minute or two to two.

Контрольні питання

1. What is the quality of a vowel determined by?

2. What criteria are used for the classification of vowels?

3. What are English vowels subdivided into?

4. Define diphthongs.

5. From what aspects is the position of the tongue in the mouth cavity

characterized?

6. What groups of vowels are distinguished in English?

7. What are the traditional lip positions in English pronunciation?

8. What does the checkness of English vowel sounds depend on?

9. What is duration of a vowel modified by and what does it depend on?

10. Define tenseness.

Література: [4, c. 24-44; 2, с. 105-120 ].

Практичне заняття  № 17

Тема. Дифтонгоїди. Дифтонги

D iphthongoids. Diphthongs

Мета: to find out about the articulatory description ofdiphthongoids and diphthongs