Vertical vowel system

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Vertical vowel system refers to a system of vowels in a language which uses just one vowel dimension to phonemically distinguish vowels. Theoretically, rounding, frontness and backness, and vowel height could be used in one-dimensional vowel systems; however, vertical refers specifically to the usage of vowel height as the sole distinguishing feature.

Vertical vowel systems need not be phonetically vertical and, in fact, rarely are. Wichita, for instance, possesses a vertical vowel system; however, two of the vowels it uses (e and i) are phonetically fronted, and the other (a) is phonetically backed. o is also heard phonetically, but is a contraction of [short vowel + w + short vowel], also a common realisation of the same sequence in Abkhaz. More than twenty different phonetic vowel qualities have been noted in Kabardian, and in Ubykh, complex phonetic vowel features such as nasality have been noted.

Zero-dimensional vowel systems (one phonemic vowel only) have been postulated for some Abkhaz dialects, and for Kabardian; however, it is generally accepted that these analyses are flawed.

Vertical vowel systems, invariably contrasting only in vowel height, have been noted for the following languages:

• Northwest Caucasian family
  • Abkhaz (two degrees)
  • Adyghe (three degrees)
  • Kabardian (two, perhaps three degrees)
  • Ubykh (two, perhaps three degrees))
• Caddoan family
  • Wichita (three degrees)
• Australian Aboriginal languages
  • Arrernte (two degrees)
• Austronesian languages
  • Marshallese (four degrees)

A rudimentary vertical vowel system is also found in the short vowels of Irish, which only carry a phonemic height contrast. The long vowels of Irish, however, do maintain a front-back distinction.