# Roundedness > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roundedness > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roundedness.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundedness > Source revision: 1355502585 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Lip formation during the articulation of a vowel}} {{about|roundedness in vowels|roundedness in consonants|Labialization|other uses|Roundness (disambiguation)}} {{IPA notice}} In [phonetics](/source/phonetics), '''vowel roundedness''' is the rounding of the lips, or lack thereof, during the articulation of a [vowel](/source/vowel). It is the degree and kind of [labialization](/source/labialization) of a vowel. In the [International Phonetic Alphabet](/source/International_Phonetic_Alphabet) vowel chart, '''rounded vowels''' are the ones that appear on the right in each bulleted pair of letters, and the corresponding '''unrounded vowels''' are the ones on the left, with {{IPA|[a]}} (when central) and the unpaired vowels {{IPA|[ɐ]}} and {{IPA|[ə]}} being neutral or unspecified. In most dialects of English, the vowel with the greatest degree of rounding is {{IPA|/u/}}, as in the word ''too,'' though some languages have significantly greater rounding of their {{IPA|/u/}} vowel. The contrary articulation to rounded is '''spread''' lips, in which the corners of the mouth are pulled away from each other but the lips remain fairly close together. In English, as in most languages, the vowel with the greatest lip-spreading is {{IPA|/i/}}, as in the word ''see''.{{sfnp|Cruttenden|2014|p=15}} When a ([back](/source/back_vowel)) rounded vowel is pronounced, the lips form a circular opening that is typically wider or smaller according to how [open or close](/source/vowel_height) the vowel is, while unrounded vowels are pronounced with the lips either spread or relaxed (neutral between spread and rounded). The degree of lip-spreading also correlates with the height of the vowel. In most languages, [front vowel](/source/front_vowel)s are spread and back vowels rounded; acoustically, this helps distinguish back vowels from front. However, some languages, such as [French](/source/French_language) and [German](/source/German_language), contrast rounded and unrounded front vowels, and others, like [Vietnamese](/source/Vietnamese_language), contrast rounded and unrounded back vowels. [Turkish](/source/Turkish_language) contrasts rounded and unrounded among both front and back vowels. The kind of rounding typically found with front and back vowels differs, though this detail is not commonly specified in descriptions of languages unless it's atypical. [Alekano](/source/Alekano_language) is unusual in having only unrounded vowels.{{sfnp|Deibler|1992|p=?}} ==Typology== ===Degrees of rounding=== The primary and secondary [cardinal vowel](/source/cardinal_vowel)s of the IPA are defined on clines of roundedness, which reflect typical articulation across languages. Generally, both spreading and rounding become more significant as the [height of the vowel](/source/vowel_height) increases.{{sfnp|Westerman|Ward|2015|p=27}} [Open vowel](/source/Open_vowel)s typically have a neutral lip position – that is, neither rounded nor spread – because the open jaw allows for limited articulation of the lips.{{sfnp|Robins|2014|p=90}} Among the IPA primary cardinal [back vowel](/source/back_vowel)s {{IPA|[ɑ ɔ o u]}}, this ranges progressively from a neutral (relaxed) lip position in {{IPA|[ɑ]}}, through open (loose) rounding in {{IPA|[ɔ]}}, more substantial rounding in {{IPA|[o]}}, to closely (tightly) rounded {{IPA|[u]}}. The secondary cardinal vowel {{IPA|[ɒ]}} lies between {{IPA|[ɑ]}} and {{IPA|[ɔ]}}, and the rounded front vowels {{IPA|[ɶ œ ø y]}} follow a cline of rounding parallel to the back vowels {{IPA|[ɒ ɔ o u]}}.{{sfnp|International Phonetic Association|1999|p=12–13}} Among the IPA primary cardinal [front vowel](/source/front_vowel)s {{IPA|[a ɛ e i]}}, which are all unrounded, there is a similar cline from neutral {{IPA|[a]}}, through slightly spread lips in {{IPA|[ɛ]}}, more substantial spreading in {{IPA|[e]}}, to fully spread {{IPA|[i]}}. The back unrounded vowels {{IPA|[ɑ ʌ ɤ ɯ]}} follow a parallel cline of lip-spreading.{{sfnp|International Phonetic Association|1999|p=13}} The IPA cardinal close central vowels {{IPA|[ɨ ʉ]}} are fully spread and closely rounded, respectively.{{sfnp|International Phonetic Association|1999|p=13}} The degrees of rounding and spreading of the non-cardinal central vowels is not made explicit by the IPA, but implicitly they follow the cardinal vowels of the same height. Thus, parallel and increasing rounding (from neutral-lip to open-rounded to close-rounded) can be expected from the sets of increasingly close vowels: :{{IPA|[a ɑ] < [ɶ ɒ] < [œ ɞ ɔ] < [ø ɵ o] < [y ʉ u]}} Similarly, increasing spreading (from neutral-lip to spread-lip) can be expected from the sets of increasingly close vowels: :{{IPA|[a ɑ] < [ɛ ɜ ʌ] < [e ɘ ɤ] < [i ɨ ɯ]}} ====Over-rounding and under-rounding==== Vowels that do not have the expected degree of rounding from the IPA letter they are transcribed with may be clarified as more or less rounded with the over-rounding diacritic {{unichar|0339|COMBINING RIGHT HALF RING BELOW|ulink=Phonetic symbols in Unicode|cwith=◌}} and the under-rounding diacritic {{unichar|031C|COMBINING LEFT HALF RING BELOW|ulink=Phonetic symbols in Unicode|cwith=◌}}. These diacritics specify that the vowel lies further toward the rounded or spread end of the roundedness cline. Thus, {{IPA|[o̜]}} has less rounding than cardinal {{IPA|[o]}} (closer to the open rounding of cardinal {{IPA|[ɔ]}} or even {{IPA|[ɒ]}}), and {{IPA|[o̹]}} has greater rounding (closer to that of cardinal {{IPA|[u]}}). These diacritics are also used with unrounded vowels: {{IPA|[ɛ̜]}} is more spread than cardinal {{IPA|[ɛ]}} (closer to {{IPA|[e]}} or even {{IPA|[i]}}), and {{IPA|[ɯ̹]}} is less spread than cardinal {{IPA|[ɯ]}} (closer to {{IPA|[ɤ]}} or a more open vowel); it may or may not be slightly rounded.{{sfnp|International Phonetic Association|1990|p=23}}{{sfnp|International Phonetic Association|1999|p=24}} ===Protruded versus compressed rounding=== {{multiple image |total_width=300 |header=Example 1 |image1=Vowel-narrow-protruded-1.png |width1=714 |height1=680 |caption1=Protruded rounding |image2=Vowel-narrow-compressed-1.png |width2=792 |height2=826 |caption2=Compressed rounding }} {{multiple image |total_width=300 |header=Example 2 |image1=Vowel-narrow-protruded-2.jpg |width1=2048 |height1=1536 |caption1=Protruded rounding |image2=Vowel-narrow-compressed-2.jpg |width2=2048 |height2=1536 |caption2=Compressed rounding }} There are two main types of vowel rounding: '''protrusion''' and '''compression''', with various terminology. In protruded rounding, the corners of the mouth are drawn together and the lips protrude like a tube, with their inner surface visible. In compressed rounding, the corners of the mouth are drawn together, but the lips are also drawn together horizontally ("compressed") and do not protrude, with only their outer surface visible. That is, in protruded vowels the inner surfaces of the lips form the opening (thus the alternate term ''endolabial''), whereas in compressed vowels it is the margins of the lips which form the opening (thus ''exolabial'' – see {{slink|#Terminology}}). Back and central rounded vowels, such as German {{IPAslink|o}} and {{IPAslink|u}}, are typically protruded, whereas front rounded vowels such as German {{IPAslink|ø}} and {{IPAslink|y}} are typically compressed.{{harvtxt|Catford|1982|pp=172–173}} Back or central compressed vowels and front protruded vowels are uncommon,{{efn|{{harvtxt|Sweet|1877}} noted that they are less distinctive from unrounded vowels than are their counterparts.}} and a contrast between the two types has been found to be phonemic in only one instance.{{efn|[Swedish](/source/Swedish_language) also has a back compressed {{IPA|[ɯᵝ]}} {{angbr|o}} as well as both front compressed {{IPA|[y]}} {{angbr|u}} and front protruded {{IPA|[yʷ]}} {{angbr|y}};{{sfnp|Engstrand|1990|p=43}} the front rounded vowels contrast in ''ruta'' 'window pane' and ''ryta'' 'roar'.{{sfnp|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|p=292}}}} There are no dedicated IPA diacritics to represent the distinction, but the superscript IPA letter {{IPAalink|β|◌ᵝ}} or {{IPAalink|ʋ|◌ᶹ}} can be used for compression{{efn|E.g. {{angbr IPA|ɨᵝ}} in {{harvtxt|Flemming|2002|p=83}}. The IPA ''Handbook'' suggests that {{angbr IPA|ᶹ}} "might be used" for "a secondary reduction of the lip opening accompanied by neither protrusion nor velar constriction", though in the [VoQS](/source/VoQS) system this diacritic is instead used more specifically for labiodentalization.{{sfnp|International Phonetic Association|1999|pp=17, 190}}}} and {{angbr IPA|◌ʷ}} for protrusion. Compressed vowels may be pronounced either with the corners of the mouth drawn in, by some definitions rounded, or with the corners spread and, by the same definitions, unrounded.{{efn|The [extIPA](/source/extIPA) spread lip diacritic {{angbr IPA|◌͍}} has sometimes been used to distinguish compressed vowels, as in {{angbr IPA|u͍}}, but this is not the original intended meaning of the diacritic.}} The distinction may be transcribed {{angbr IPA|{{IPAplink|ʉ}}{{not a typo|ᵝ uᵝ}}}} vs {{angbr IPA|{{IPAplink|ɨ}}{{not a typo|ᵝ ɯᵝ}}}} (or {{angbr IPA|ʉᶹ uᶹ}} vs {{angbr IPA|ɨᶹ ɯᶹ}}) for vowels analyzed as rounded and unrounded.{{efn|To avoid the implication that the superscript represents an off-glide, it might be placed above the base letter: {{angbr IPA|yᷱ, ɯᷩ}}. Ladefoged & Maddieson use old IPA {{angbr IPA|◌̫}} for protrusion (''w''-like labialization without velarization), while {{harvtxt|Kelly|Local|1989|p=154}} use a combining {{angbr|w}} as in {{angbr IPA|◌ᪿ}} for protrusion (e.g. {{angbr IPA|øᪿ}}) and a combining {{angbr|ʍ}} as in {{angbr IPA|◌ᫀ}} for compression (e.g. {{angbr IPA|uᫀ}}). This recalls the old IPA convention mentioned next.}} An old IPA convention of rounding an unrounded vowel letter like {{angbr IPA|i}} with a subscript omega, {{angbr IPA|i̫}}, and unrounding a rounded letter like {{angbr IPA|u}} with a turned omega, {{angbr IPA|u᫦}},Jespersen & Pedersen (1926), p. 19. has been conventionalized as {{angbr IPA|◌̫}} for protruded and {{angbr IPA|◌᫦}} for compressed.[https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2024/24080-ipa-diacritics-above.pdf L2/24-080: Unicode request for IPA diacritics above and one below] The distinction between protruded back {{IPA|[u]}} and compressed front {{IPA|[y]}} holds for the back and front rounded [semivowel](/source/semivowel)s {{IPAblink|w}} and {{IPAblink|ɥ}}, which are typically protruded and compressed, respectively. In general, the kind of rounding of the semivowels is found in any other [labialized consonant](/source/labialized_consonant)s in the language. In [Akan](/source/Akan_language), for example, labio-palatal {{IPA|[ɥ]}} is compressed, as are [labio-palatalized](/source/labio-palatalization) consonants as in ''Twi'' {{IPA|[tɕᶣi̘]}} "Twi" and ''adwuma'' {{IPA|[adʑᶣu̘ma]}} "work", whereas labio-velar {{IPA|[w]}} and labio-velarized consonants are protruded. (Only plain labio-velarization is phonemic in Akan; the compression arises from [phonetic assimilation](/source/phonetic_assimilation) between the labialization of the consonant and the lip-spreading of a following front vowel, which [palatalizes](/source/palatalization_(phonetics)) the consonant.){{sfnp|Dolphyne|1988|p=?}} Compare also the unusual rounding of Tillamook vowels and consonants below. The protruded–compressed distinction is rarely relevant to other consonants. In [Southern Teke](/source/Kukuya_language), the sole language reported to have a phonemic {{IPAslink|ɱ}}, the labiodental sound is "accompanied by strong protrusion of both lips",{{sfnp|Paulian|1975|p=?}} whereas the {{IPAblink|ɱ}} found as an [allophone](/source/allophone) of {{IPA|/m/}} before {{IPA|/f, v/}} in languages such as English is not protruded, as the lip contacts the teeth along its upper or outer edge. Also, in at least one account of [speech acquisition](/source/speech_acquisition) of English, a child's pronunciation of ''clown'' involves a [lateral](/source/lateral_consonant) {{IPA|[f]}} in which the upper teeth contact the upper, outer edge of the lip, but in ''crown'', a [median](/source/median_consonant) {{IPA|[f]}} is pronounced so that the teeth contact the inner surface of the protruded lower lip.{{sfnp|Kelly|Local|1989|p=41}} ===Perceptual (non-labial) rounding=== Some vowels transcribed with rounded IPA letters may not be rounded at all, and instead achieve the acoustic effect of roundedness by other (internal) articulatory means. An example is {{IPAslink|ɒ}}, the vowel of ''lot'', which in [Received Pronunciation](/source/Received_Pronunciation) has very little (if any) rounding of the lips. According to some linguists, the "throaty" sound of the vowel is instead accomplished with [sulcalization](/source/sulcalization),{{sfnp|Lass|1984|p=124}} a furrowing of the back of the tongue also found in {{IPAslink|ɜː}}, the vowel of ''nurse'' in [non-rhotic](/source/non-rhotic) accents.{{efn|{{harvtxt|Catford|2001|p=162}} observes that the equivalent {{IPAslink|ɝ}} in rhotic accents has a strong degree of sulcalization.}} Before the language went extinct, [Tillamook](/source/Tillamook_language) was reported to have had "internal rounding" for {{IPA|/u/}} and {{IPA|/w/}} (as well as for its rounded sets of velar and uvular consonants) that was produced by a "cupping of the tongue, not by any rounding of the lips",{{sfnp|Thompson|Thompson|1966|p=316}} but it is unclear from the limited description if this refers to the same feature as sulcalization.{{efn|Sulcalization is a [coronal plane](/source/coronal_plane) concavity, while "cupping of the tongue" could be referring to either a coronal or [sagittal plane](/source/sagittal_plane) concavity.}} It is possible to mimic the acoustic effect of rounded vowels by narrowing the cheeks, so-called "cheek rounding", which is inherent in back protruded (but not front compressed) vowels. The technique is used by ventriloquists to mask the visible rounding of back vowels like {{IPA|[u]}}.{{sfnp|Sweet|1877|pp=14, 20}} It is not clear if it is used by languages with rounded vowels that do not use visible labial rounding, such as [Seneca](/source/Seneca_language) and other [Northern Iroquoian languages](/source/Northern_Iroquoian_languages), or if they are more like Tillamook. ==Terminology== The varied competing terms for protrusion and compression can be easy to confuse. Pairs of terms include: {| class="wikitable" |+ Competing terms{{sfnp|Trask|1996|p=252}} |- ! Protrusion
([w]-like) !! Compression
([ɥ]-like) |- | endolabial || exolabial |- | horizontal lip-rounding || vertical lip-rounding |- | outrounding || inrounding |- | inner rounding || outer rounding |- | pouted (lip-pouting) || pursed |} [Henry Sweet](/source/Henry_Sweet) noted in 1890 that "the term 'inner rounding' derives from the use of the inner surfaces of the lips; the synonymous 'outrounding' derives from the forward projection of the lips. Both terms are justifiable, but their coexistence is likely to lead to serious confusion."{{sfnp|Trask|1996|p=180}} There is no such proliferation of terms for lip-spreading. ==Transcription== As noted above, when strictly following the IPA, superscript letters can be used to distinguish protruded and compressed vowels. However, such a transcription could be misread as indicating diphthongization. Another possibility is to use the two retired IPA diacritics for over/under-rounding, {{angbr IPA|◌̫}} for protruded and its inverse, {{angbr IPA|◌᫦}}, for compressed. [Central vowel](/source/Central_vowel)s may be indicated with a [trema](/source/Two_dots_(diacritic)) {{angbr IPA|◌̈}},{{efn|Both {{IPA|[ÿ]}} and {{IPA|[ü]}} have been mentioned at various times in the IPA ''Handbook'',{{harvtxt|International Phonetic Association|1999}} without comment on the implied difference in rounding.}} occasionally doubled to indicate a greater degree, but both more precisely mean ''[centralized](/source/centralized_articulation)'' and not necessarily central. The IPA convention of barred {{angbr IPA|ɨ}}, {{angbr IPA|ɵ}} and {{angbr IPA|ʉ}} is sometimes extended to other letters to indicate that the [vocoid](/source/vocoid) (vowel or semivowel) is truly central.{{sfnp|Pullum|Ladusaw|1996|p=191}}[https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2024/24049-ipa-support-letter.pdf L2/24-049: Unicode support for historical and para-IPA letters] See [nonstandard symbols in the IPA](/source/nonstandard_symbols_in_the_IPA) for further sources. The charts below list (para-)IPA transcriptions of attested vocoid positions that contrast spread, compressed, and protruded roundedness (each set presented in that order). {| |+ '''Transcription of attested spread, compressed, and protruded sets of vocoids''' | {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Superscript letters ! ! (Near-)front ! Central ! (Near-)back |- ! Semivowel | {{IPA|j{{nbsp|3}}ɥ{{nbsp|3}}ɥʷ}} | {{IPA|j̈{{nbsp|3}}ɥ̈{{nbsp|3}}ẅ}} | {{IPA|ɰ{{nbsp|3}}{{not a typo|wᵝ}}{{nbsp|3}}w}} |- ! Close | {{IPA|i{{nbsp|3}}y{{nbsp|3}}yʷ}} | {{IPA|ɨ{{nbsp|3}}{{not a typo|ÿ/ʉᵝ}}{{nbsp|3}}ʉ}} | {{IPA|ɯ{{nbsp|3}}{{not a typo|uᵝ}}{{nbsp|3}}u}} |- ! Near-close | {{IPA|ɪ{{nbsp|3}}ʏ{{nbsp|3}}ʏʷ}} | {{IPA|ɪ̈{{nbsp|3}}ʏ̈{{nbsp|3}}ʊ̈}} | {{IPA|ɯ̽{{nbsp|3}}{{not a typo|ʊᵝ}}{{nbsp|3}}ʊ}} |- ! Close-mid | {{IPA|e{{nbsp|3}}ø{{nbsp|3}}øʷ}} | {{IPA|ɘ{{nbsp|3}}{{not a typo|ø̈/ɵᵝ}}{{nbsp|3}}ɵ}} | {{IPA|ɤ{{nbsp|3}}{{not a typo|oᵝ}}{{nbsp|3}}o}} |- ! Open-mid | {{IPA|ɛ{{nbsp|3}}œ{{nbsp|3}}œʷ}} | | |} |{{nbsp|3}} {{nbsp|3}} | {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Para-IPA diacritics ! ! (Near-)front ! Central ! (Near-)back |- ! Semivowel | {{IPA|j{{nbsp|3}}ɥ{{nbsp|3}}ɥ᫇}} | {{IPA|ɉ{{nbsp|3}}ɥ̶{{nbsp|3}}w̶}}{{efn|{{angbr|𝼾 𝼿}} (barred {{angbr|ɥ w}}) are scheduled for publication with Unicode 18 in late 2026.}} | {{IPA|ɰ{{nbsp|3}}w᫦{{nbsp|3}}w}} |- ! Close | {{IPA|i{{nbsp|3}}y{{nbsp|3}}y᫇}} | {{IPA|ɨ{{nbsp|3}}ɏ{{nbsp|3}}ʉ}} | {{IPA|ɯ{{nbsp|3}}u᫦{{nbsp|3}}u}} |- ! Near-close | {{IPA|ɪ{{nbsp|3}}ʏ{{nbsp|3}}ʏ̫}} | {{IPA|ᵻ{{nbsp|3}}ʏ̵{{nbsp|3}}ᵿ}} | {{IPA|ɯ̽{{nbsp|3}}ʊ᫦{{nbsp|3}}ʊ}} |- ! Close-mid | {{IPA|e{{nbsp|3}}ø{{nbsp|3}}ø̫}} | {{IPA|ɘ{{nbsp|3}}ɵ᫦{{nbsp|3}}ɵ}} | {{IPA|ɤ{{nbsp|3}}o᫦{{nbsp|3}}o}} |- ! Open-mid | {{IPA|ɛ{{nbsp|3}}œ{{nbsp|3}}œ̫}} | | |} |} ==Rounding and labialization== Protruded rounding is the vocalic equivalent of consonantal [labialization](/source/labialization). Thus, rounded vowels and labialized consonants affect one another by [phonetic assimilation](/source/assimilation_(linguistics)): Rounded vowels labialize consonants, and labialized consonants round vowels. In many languages, such effects are minor phonetic detail, but in others, they become significant. For example, in [Vietnamese](/source/Vietnamese_language), the velar codas {{IPA|/k/}} and {{IPA|/ŋ/}} are labialized {{IPA|[kʷ]}} and {{IPA|[ŋʷ]}} or even [labial-velar](/source/labial-velar_consonant) {{IPA|[kp]}} and {{IPA|[ŋm]}} after the rounded vowels {{IPA|/u/}} and {{IPA|/o/}}.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} In the [Northwest Caucasian languages](/source/Northwest_Caucasian_languages) of southern Russia and Georgia, and [Arrernte](/source/Arrernte_language) of central Australia, what were historically rounded vowels transferred their roundedness to adjacent consonants, producing large series of phonemically labialized consonants while they themselves became unrounded in the process. ==Roundedness in English== Vowel pairs differentiated by roundedness can be found in some [British](/source/British_English) dialects (such as the [Cardiff dialect](/source/Cardiff_dialect), [Geordie](/source/Geordie) and [Port Talbot English](/source/Port_Talbot_English)) as well as in General [South African English](/source/South_African_English) and [New Zealand English](/source/New_Zealand_English). They involve a contrastive pair of [close-mid vowel](/source/close-mid_vowel)s, with the unrounded vowel being either {{sc2|SQUARE}} {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} or a monophthongal {{sc2|FACE}} {{IPAc-en|eɪ}} and the rounded counterpart being {{sc2|NURSE}} {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}}. Contrasts based on roundedness are rarely categorical in English and they may be enhanced by additional differences in height, backness or diphthongization.{{sfnp|Collins|Mees|1990|pp=88, 95}}{{sfnp|Connolly|1990|pp=122–123, 125}}{{sfnp|Lass|2002|p=?}}{{sfnp|Watt|Allen|2003|p=269}} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ {{sc|FACE}}, {{sc|SQUARE}} and {{sc|NURSE}} in some dialects ! rowspan="2" | Accent ! colspan="3" | Vowel ! rowspan="2" | Notes |- ! {{sc|FACE}} ! {{sc|SQUARE}} ! {{sc|NURSE}} |- ! [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff_dialect){{sfnp|Collins|Mees|1990|pp=88, 95–97}} | {{IPA|[ei]}} | {{IPAblink|eː}} | {{IPAblink|øː}} | {{sc2|SQUARE}} may be open-mid {{IPAblink|ɛː}}.{{sfnp|Collins|Mees|1990|p=95}} |- ! General [SAE](/source/South_African_English){{sfnp|Lass|2002|p=?}} | {{IPA|[eɪ]}} | {{IPAblink|eː}} | {{IPAblink|øː}} | |- ! [Geordie](/source/Geordie){{sfnp|Watt|Allen|2003|p=269}} | {{IPAblink|eː}} | {{IPAblink|ɛː}} | {{IPAblink|øː}} | {{sc2|FACE}} may be diphthongal {{IPA|[ɪə ~ eɪ]}}, whereas
{{sc2|NURSE}} may be back {{IPAblink|ɔː}} or unrounded {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ɪː}} ~ {{IPAplink|ɜ̝|ɜː}}]}}.{{sfnp|Watt|Allen|2003|p=269}}{{sfnp|Wells|1982|p=375}} |- ! [Port Talbot](/source/Port_Talbot_English){{sfnp|Connolly|1990|pp=122–123, 125}} | {{IPAblink|eː}} | {{IPAblink|ɛː}} | {{IPAblink|øː}} | The accent does not feature the [pane–pain merger](/source/pane%E2%80%93pain_merger).{{sfnp|Connolly|1990|pp=122–123}} |} In addition, contemporary Standard Southern British English as well as [Western Pennsylvania English](/source/Western_Pennsylvania_English) contrast {{sc2|STRUT}} with {{sc2|LOT}} mostly by rounding. An example of a minimal pairs is ''nut'' vs. ''not''. The vowels are open-mid {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ʌ}}, {{IPAplink|ɔ}}]}} in the former dialect and open {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ɑ}}, {{IPAplink|ɒ}}]}} in the latter. In Western Pennsylvania English, the {{sc2|LOT}} class also includes the {{sc2|THOUGHT}} class (see [cot-caught merger](/source/cot-caught_merger)) and the {{sc2|PALM}} one (see [father-bother merger](/source/father-bother_merger)). In addition, {{sc2|LOT}} may be longer than {{sc2|STRUT}} due to its being a [free vowel](/source/Checked_and_free_vowels): {{IPAblink|ɒː}}. In SSBE, these are all distinct and {{sc2|LOT}} is a checked vowel. In [Scottish English](/source/Scottish_English), the two vowels tend to be realized as {{IPAblink|ʌ}} and {{IPAblink|ɔ}}, respectively. The latter often includes the {{sc2|THOUGHT}} class as the cot-caught merger is common in Scotland. If {{sc2|THOUGHT}} is distinct, it is realized as {{IPAblink|ɔ}}, whereas {{sc2|LOT}} is lowered to {{IPAblink|ɒ}} or raised to {{IPAblink|o̞}}. This means that while ''nought'' {{IPA|[nɔʔ]}} contrasts with ''nut'' {{IPA|[nʌʔ]}} by rounding, ''not'' may have a different vowel {{IPA|[nɒʔ ~ no̞ʔ]}}. In addition, all three vowels are short in Scotland (see [Scottish vowel length rule](/source/Scottish_vowel_length_rule)), unless followed by a voiced fricative where {{sc2|THOUGHT}} (and {{sc2|LOT}}, if they are merged) is long, as in England.{{sfnp|Wells|1982|pp=399–403}}{{sfnp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|pp=88–9}}{{sfnp|Cruttenden|2014|pp=122, 126–128, 130}} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ {{sc|STRUT}}, {{sc|LOT}} and {{sc|THOUGHT}} in some dialects ! rowspan="2" | Accent ! colspan="3" | Vowel ! rowspan="2" | Notes |- ! {{sc|STRUT}} ! {{sc|LOT}} ! {{sc|THOUGHT}} |- ! [Scottish English](/source/Scottish_English){{sfnp|Wells|1982|pp=399–403}} | {{IPAblink|ʌ}} | {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ɔ|ɔ(ː)}} ~ {{IPAplink|ɒ}} ~ {{IPAplink|o̞}}]}} | {{IPAblink|ɔ|ɔ(ː)}} | {{sc2|LOT}} often merges with {{sc2|THOUGHT}}. |- ! Standard Southern British English{{sfnp|Cruttenden|2014|pp=122, 126–128, 130}} | {{IPAblink|ʌ}} | {{IPAblink|ɔ}} | {{IPAblink|o̞ː}} | |- ! [Western Pennsylvania English](/source/Western_Pennsylvania_English){{sfnp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|pp=88–9}} | {{IPAblink|ɑ}} | colspan="2" | {{IPAblink|ɒ|ɒ(ː)}} | The {{sc2|LOT}} class also includes {{sc2|THOUGHT}} and {{sc2|PALM}}. |} General South African English is unique among accents of English in that it can feature up to three front rounded vowels, with two of them having unrounded counterparts.{{sfnp|Lass|2002|p=?}} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Long front vowels in General SAE{{sfnp|Lass|2002|pp=116, 118–119}} ! rowspan="2" | Height ! colspan="2" | Unr. vowel ! colspan="2" | Rnd. vowel ! rowspan="2" | Notes |- ! {{small|[lexical set](/source/lexical_set)}} ! {{small|realization}} ! {{small|lexical set}} ! {{small|realization}} |- ! [Close](/source/Close_vowel) | {{sc2|FLEECE}} | {{IPAblink|iː}} | {{sc2|GOOSE}} | {{IPAblink|yː}} | {{sc2|GOOSE}} may be central {{IPAblink|ʉː}}. |- ! [Close-mid](/source/Close-mid_vowel) | {{sc2|SQUARE}} | {{IPAblink|eː}} | {{sc2|NURSE}} | {{IPAblink|øː}} | |- ! [Open-mid](/source/Open-mid_vowel) | colspan="2" | ''(unpaired)'' | {{sc2|GOAT}} | {{IPAblink|œː}} | {{sc2|GOAT}} may be diphthongal {{IPA|[œɤ̈]}}. |} The potential contrast between the close-mid {{IPAblink|øː}} and the open-mid {{IPAblink|œː}} is hard to perceive by outsiders, making utterances such as ''the total onslaught'' {{IPA|[ðə ˈtœːtl̩ ˈɒnsloːt]}} sound almost like ''the turtle onslaught'' {{IPA|[ðə ˈtøːtl̩ ˈɒnsloːt]}}.{{sfnp|Lass|2002|p=118}} ==See also== *[Close back compressed vowel](/source/Close_back_compressed_vowel) {{IPA|[uᵝ]}} (in Japanese and Swedish) *[Near-close back compressed vowel](/source/Near-close_back_compressed_vowel) {{IPA|[ʊᵝ]}} (in Swedish) *[Close central compressed vowel](/source/Close_central_compressed_vowel) {{IPA|[ÿ]}} (in Norwegian) *[Mid central compressed vowel](/source/Mid_central_compressed_vowel) {{IPA|[ø̈]}} (in Swedish) *[Close front compressed vowel](/source/Close_front_compressed_vowel) {{IPA|[y]}} (in French, German, etc.) *[Mid front compressed vowel](/source/Mid_front_compressed_vowel) {{IPA|[ø]}} (in French, German, etc.) *[Close front protruded vowel](/source/Close_front_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[yʷ]}} (in Swedish) *[Near-close front protruded vowel](/source/Near-close_front_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[ʏʷ]}} (in Swedish) *[Close-mid front protruded vowel](/source/Close-mid_front_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[øʷ]}} (in Swedish) *[Open-mid front protruded vowel](/source/Open-mid_front_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[œʷ]}} (in Swedish) *[Close central protruded vowel](/source/Close_central_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[ʉ]}} *[Mid central protruded vowel](/source/Mid_central_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[ɵ]}} *[Close back protruded vowel](/source/Close_back_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[u]}} (common) *[Mid back protruded vowel](/source/Mid_back_protruded_vowel) {{IPA|[o]}} (common) *[List of phonetics topics](/source/List_of_phonetics_topics) ==Notes== {{notelist}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |last=Allen |first=W. Sidney |year=1978 |title=Vox Latina: A Guide to the Pronunciation of Classical Latin |edition=2nd |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-37936-9 }} *{{cite book |last=Catford |first=J. C. |author-link=J. C. Catford |year=1982 |orig-year=1977 |url=https://archive.org/details/fundamentalprobl0000catf_t1d4 |title=Fundamental Problems in Phonetics |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=0-85224-437-1 }} *{{cite book |last=Catford |first=J. C. |year=2001 |title=A Practical Introduction to Phonetics |edition=2nd |publisher=[Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press) |isbn=978-0199246359 }} *{{cite book |last1=Collins |first1=Beverley |last2=Mees |first2=Inger M. |editor-last1=Coupland |editor-first1=Nikolas |editor-last2=Thomas |editor-first2=Alan Richard |year=1990 |title=English in Wales: Diversity, Conflict, and Change |chapter=The Phonetics of Cardiff English |publisher=Multilingual Matters Ltd. |pages=87–103 |isbn=1-85359-032-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tPwYt3gVbu4C }} *{{cite book |last=Connolly |first=John H. |year=1990 |chapter=Port Talbot English |editor-last1=Coupland |editor-first1=Nikolas |editor-last2=Thomas |editor-first2=Alan Richard |title=English in Wales: Diversity, Conflict, and Change |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tPwYt3gVbu4C |publisher=Multilingual Matters Ltd. |pages=121–129 |isbn=1-85359-032-0 }} *{{cite book |last=Cruttenden |first=Alan |year=2014 |title=Gimson's Pronunciation of English |publisher=Routledge |edition=8th |isbn=9781444183092 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M2nMAgAAQBAJ }} *{{cite web |last=Deibler |first=Ellis |year=1992 |title=Alekano Organised Phonology Data |url=http://www.sil.org/pacific/png/abstract.asp?id=928474542307 }} *{{cite book |last=Dolphyne |first=Florence Abena |author-link=Florence Dolphyne |year=1988 |title=The Akan (Twi-Fante) Language: Its Sound Systems and Tonal Structure |publisher=Ghana Universities Press |isbn=9964-3-0159-6 }} * {{cite journal |last=Engstrand |first=Olle |year=1990 |volume=20 |issue=1 |title=Swedish (Illustrations of the IPA) |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/S0025100300004060 |pp=42-44 }} *{{cite book |last=Flemming |first=Edward S. |year=2002 |title=Auditory Representations in Phonology |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-81534041-9 }} *{{cite journal |title=Further Report on the 1989 Kiel Convention |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |author=International Phonetic Association |author-link=International Phonetic Association |volume=20 |number=2 |year=1990 |pp=22–24 |jstor=44526801 }} *{{cite book |author=International Phonetic Association |year=1999 |title=Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-52163751-1 }} *{{cite book |last1=Kelly |first1=John |last2=Local |first2=John |year=1989 |title=Doing Phonology: Observing, Recording, Interpreting |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=0-7190-2894-9 }} *{{cite book |last1=Labov |first1=William |author-link=William Labov |last2=Ash |first2=Sharon |last3=Boberg |first3=Charles |year=2006 |title=The Atlas of North American English |location=Berlin |publisher=Mouton-de Gruyter |pages=187–208 |isbn=978-3-11-016746-7 |title-link=The Atlas of North American English }} *{{SOWL}} *{{cite book |last=Lass |first=Roger |year=1984 |title=Phonology: An Introduction to Basic Concepts |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-28183-0 }} *{{cite book |last=Lass |first=Roger |chapter=South African English |editor-last=Mesthrie |editor-first=Rajend |year=2002 |title=Language in South Africa |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521791052 }} *{{cite book |last=Okada |first=Hideo |year=1999 |chapter=Japanese |title=Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=117–119 |isbn=0-52163751-1 }} *{{cite journal |last=Paulian |first=Christiane |year=1975 |title=Le Kukuya, langue teke du Congo: phonologie – classes nominales |journal=Bibliothèque de la SELAF |volume=49–50 }} *{{cite book |last1=Pullum |first1=Geoffrey K. |author-link1=Geoffrey K. Pullum |last2=Ladusaw |first2=William A. |year=1996 |title=[Phonetic Symbol Guide](/source/Phonetic_Symbol_Guide) |edition=2nd |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=0-226-68536-5 }} *{{cite book |last=Robins |first=R. H. |year=2014 |title=General Linguistics |edition=4th |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-582-29144-7 }} *{{cite book |last=Sweet |first=Henry |author-link=Henry Sweet |year=1877 |title=A Handbook of Phonetics |url=https://archive.org/details/ahandbookphonet00sweegoog |publisher=Clarendon Press }} *{{Cite journal |last=Thompson |first=Laurence C. |last2=Thompson |first2=M. Terry |year=1966 |title=A Fresh Look at Tillamook Phonology |journal=International Journal of American Linguistics |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=313-319 |doi=10.1086/464920 |jstor=1264085 |s2cid=145658086 }} *{{cite book |last=Trask |first=R. L. |year=1996 |title=A Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-11260-5 }} *{{cite journal |last1=Watt |first1=Dominic |last2=Allen |first2=William |year=2003 |title=Tyneside English |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=267–271 |doi=10.1017/S0025100303001397 |s2cid=195784010 |doi-access=free }} *{{Accents of English|hide1=yes|hide3=yes}} *{{cite book |last1=Westerman |first1=D. |last2=Ward |first2=Ida C. |year=2015 |orig-year=1933 |title=Practical Phonetics for Students of African Languages |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-138-92604-2 }} {{refend}} ==External links== *{{Wiktionary-inline|endolabial}} *{{Wiktionary-inline|exolabial}} *{{Wiktionary-inline|unrounded}} {{IPA navigation}} Category:Vowels Category:Labial consonants --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roundedness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundedness) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundedness?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.