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Vowels
Vowels unlike consonants are produced with no obstruction
to the stream of air, so on the perception level their integral
characteristic is naturally tone, not noise.
The most important criteria of the vowel classification are
considered to be the following:
a) Stability of articulation;
b) Tongue position;
c) Lip position;
d) Character of the vowel end;
e) Length;
f) Tenseness.
Stability of articulation specifies the actual position of the
articulating organ in the process of the articulation of a vowel.
There are two possible varieties:
a) The tongue position is stable;
b) It changes, that is the tongue moves from one position
to another.
So, according to this principle the English vowels are
subdivided into:
a) Monophthongs:
[e][ɒ:][ɒ][i][I:][ʌ][ǽ][a:][υ][u:][ɜ:]
b) Diphthongs:
[еі][аі][аʋ][ɒі][əʋ][iə][υə][ə]
c) Diphthongoids.
Another principle is the position of the tongue in the mouth
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