Vowels Vowel features describe the height of the tongue in the oral cavity (high, mid, low), the part of the tongue (front, central, back), the degree of tension in the tongue and lips (tense/lax), which is sometimes correlated with the position of the root of the tongue (advanced tongue root - ATR) and (retracted tongue root - RTR), and the position of the lips (+/- round). high: the … [Read more...]

Aspiration Aspiration is a secondary feature on specified obstruents, based on the language of use. The release of these obstruents is accompanied by a burst of air, which delays the onset of the vowel. This is referred to as ‘voice onset time' (VOT). In languages such as Salasaka Quichua, an aspirated /ph/ as opposed to an unaspirated /p/ can change the meaning of the word. (1) [pakak] … [Read more...]