Close back rounded vowel

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Edit - 2× Front N.-front Central N.-back Back
Close
i • y
ɨ • ʉ
ɯ • u
ɪ • ʏ
• ʊ
e • ø
ɘ • ɵ
ɤ • o
ə
ɛ • œ
ɜ • ɞ
ʌ • ɔ
æ
ɐ
a • ɶ
ɑ • ɒ
Near-close
Close-mid
Mid
Open-mid
Near-open
Open
Where symbols appear in pairs, the one to the right
represents a rounded vowel.
See also: IPA, Consonants
IPA – number 308
IPA – text u
IPA – image Image:Xsampa-u.png
Entity u
X-SAMPA u
Kirshenbaum u
Sound sample (help·info)

The close back rounded vowel is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is u, and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is u.

There is also a close back compressed vowel which contrasts with both the rounded and unrounded close back vowels.

[edit] Features

  • Its vowel height is close, which means the tongue is positioned as close as possible to the roof of the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.
  • Its vowel backness is back, which means the tongue is positioned as far back as possible in the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.
  • Its vowel roundedness is rounded, which means that the lips are rounded and protrude, and the inner surfaces are exposed.

[edit] Occurs in

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