Ch. 4 The length of vowel sounds

Short vowel sounds

/I/ /e/ /æ/ /ɒ/ /ʌ/ /ʊ/ /ə/

Long vowel sounds

/i:/ /u:/ /ɔː/ /a:/ /ɜː/

Rule over long vowel sound (before a lenis (voiced) consonant sound)

A long vowel sound before a lenis (voiced) consonant sound at the end of a word or syllable (long context) is the longest vowel sound: (cord, large, loo)

Rule over long vowel sound (in front of a voiceless consonant sound)

A long vowel sound in front of a voiceless consonant sound (short context) is the same as a short vowel sound (in front of a voiced consonant sound) (court, leaf, Bert)

Rule over short vowel sound (in front of a voiced consonant sound)

A short vowel sound in front of a voiced consonant sound (long context), is longer (cab, kid, love).

Rule over short vowel sound (in front of a voiceless consonant sound)

A short vowel sound in front of a voiceless consonant sound (short context) is the shortest vowel sound (cat, kiss, rough).

Long and short vowel sounds

Both have a long version and a short version.

Determination of actual length of a vowel sound

By the place in the word where it occurs.

The exact length of a vowel sound

It depends on the context. A long vowel sound in a short context is the same length as a short vowel in a long context.

Context

The position of a vowel sound, the sounds around it.

Exception vowel sounds

The vowel sound is not lengthened if it is followed by another syllable. (begging, woodland, budding, leaving, loser, starring)

Short vowel sound in long context

club /klʌb/ of /ɒv/ says /sɛz/ wood /wʊd/ ridge /rɪʤ/

Short vowel sound in short context

cup /kʌp/ cough /kɒf/ chess /ʧɛs/ foot /fʊt/ which /wɪʧ/

Long vowel sound in short context

loop /luːp/ half /hɑːf/ worse /wɜːs/ horse /hɔːs/ each /iːʧ/

Long vowel sound in long context

tube /tjuːb/ halve /hɑːv/ furs /fɜːz/ doors /dɔːz/ siege /siːʤ/