ABSTRACT
Where the last chapter examined the articulation of consonants, this chapter focuses on vowels. After establishing their articulation and general classification and considering the vowel space, we turn specifically to the vowels of English. These (along with occasional illustrations from other languages) we discuss relative to the areas of the vowel space in which they appear, taking in turn the high front, mid front, low front, low back, mid back, high back and central areas. Following this broad overview of English vowels, we describe several specific vowel systems, including Received Pronunciation, General American, Northern English English and Lowland Scottish English.
