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A mid vowel (or a true-mid vowel) is any in a class of vowel sounds used in some spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a mid vowel is that the tongue is positioned approximately midway between an open vowel and a close vowel.
Other names for a mid vowel are lowered close-mid vowel and raised open-mid vowel, though the former phrase may also be used to describe a vowel that is as low as open-mid; likewise, the latter phrase may also be used to describe a vowel that is as high as close-mid.
Vowels
The only mid vowel with a dedicated symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet is the mid central vowel with ambiguous rounding [ə].
The IPA divides the vowel space into thirds, with the close-mid vowels such as [e] or [o] and the open-mid vowels such as [ɛ] or [ɔ] equidistant in formant space between open [a] or [ɒ] and close [i] or [u]. Thus a true mid front unrounded vowel can be transcribed as either a lowered ⟨e̞⟩ (with a lowering diacritic) or as a raised ⟨ɛ̝⟩ (with a raising diacritic). Typical truly mid vowels are thus:
- mid front unrounded vowel [e̞] or [ɛ̝]
- mid front rounded vowel [ø̞] or [œ̝]
- mid central unrounded vowel [ɘ̞] or [ɜ̝] (most commonly written ⟨ə⟩)
- mid central protruded vowel [ɵ̞] or [ɞ̝] (most commonly written ⟨ɵ⟩ as if it were close-mid)
- mid central compressed vowel [əᵝ]
- mid back unrounded vowel [ɤ̞] or [ʌ̝]
- mid back rounded vowel [o̞] or [ɔ̝]
Languages
Few languages contrast all three heights of mid vowel, because it is rare for a language to distinguish more than four heights of true front or back vowels.
The Kensiu language spoken in Malaysia and Thailand is highly unusual in that it phonemically contrasts true-mid vowels with close-mid and open-mid vowels without differences in other parameters such as backness or roundedness.
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References
IPA VowelsFront Central BackClose i y ɨ ʉ ɯ uNear close ɪ ʏ ʊClose mid e o ɘ ɵ ɤ oMid e o e ɤ o Open mid ɛ œ ɜ ɞ ʌ ɔNear open ae ɐOpen a ɶ a ɑ ɒIPA help audio full chart template Legend unrounded roundedThis article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet IPA For an introductory guide on IPA symbols see Help IPA For the distinction between and see IPA Brackets and transcription delimiters A mid vowel or a true mid vowel is any in a class of vowel sounds used in some spoken languages The defining characteristic of a mid vowel is that the tongue is positioned approximately midway between an open vowel and a close vowel Other names for a mid vowel are lowered close mid vowel and raised open mid vowel though the former phrase may also be used to describe a vowel that is as low as open mid likewise the latter phrase may also be used to describe a vowel that is as high as close mid VowelsThe only mid vowel with a dedicated symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet is the mid central vowel with ambiguous rounding e The IPA divides the vowel space into thirds with the close mid vowels such as e or o and the open mid vowels such as ɛ or ɔ equidistant in formant space between open a or ɒ and close i or u Thus a true mid front unrounded vowel can be transcribed as either a lowered e with a lowering diacritic or as a raised ɛ with a raising diacritic Typical truly mid vowels are thus mid front unrounded vowel e or ɛ mid front rounded vowel o or œ mid central unrounded vowel ɘ or ɜ most commonly written e mid central protruded vowel ɵ or ɞ most commonly written ɵ as if it were close mid mid central compressed vowel eᵝ mid back unrounded vowel ɤ or ʌ mid back rounded vowel o or ɔ LanguagesFew languages contrast all three heights of mid vowel because it is rare for a language to distinguish more than four heights of true front or back vowels The Kensiu language spoken in Malaysia and Thailand is highly unusual in that it phonemically contrasts true mid vowels with close mid and open mid vowels without differences in other parameters such as backness or roundedness Kensiu oral vowels Front Central BackClose i ɯ uNear close ɪClose mid e ɚ o Mid e e oOpen mid ɛ ʌ ɔOpen aDiphthongs ie Kensiu nasal vowels Front Central BackClose ĩ ɯ ũNear close ɪ Close mid ẽ o Mid ẽ oOpen mid ɛ ʌ ɔ Open aDiphthongs ĩẽReferencesWayland Ratree 2018 Phonetics A Practical Introduction Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 26 ISBN 978 1 10841 834 8 Rogers Henry 2000 The Sounds of Language An Introduction to Phonetics Harrow Longman p 9 ISBN 978 1 31787 775 2
