Template:Near-close central unrounded vowel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The near-close central unrounded vowel is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The International Phonetic Alphabet can represent this sound as < ɪ̈ > (centralized ɪ) or < ɨ̞ > (lowered ɨ). In many British dictionaries, this vowel has been transcribed ɪ, which captures its height; in the American tradition it is more often ɨ, which captures its centrality. Recently the OED has adopted an unambiguous but unofficial extension of the IPA, ᵻ (ɪ̵), that is a conflation of the other two symbols.
[edit] Features
- Its vowel height is near-close, which means the tongue is positioned similarly to a close vowel, but slightly less constricted.
- Its vowel backness is central, which means the tongue is positioned halfway between a front vowel and a back vowel.
- Its vowel roundedness is unrounded, which means that the lips are spread.
[edit] Occurrence
| Language | Word | IPA | Meaning | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | parallelepiped | [ˌpæɹəlɛlɪ̈ˈpɪpɪ̈d] | 'parallelepiped' | Reduced vowel for speakers who contrast schwa with "schwi." See English phonology | |
| Russian[1] | жена | [ʐɨ̞ˈna] | 'wife' | Occurs only after unpalatalized consonants and in unstressed syllables. See Russian phonology | |
| Welsh | Northern dialects[2] | example needed | -- | -- | |
