What is the Difference Between Lax and Tense Vowels?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between lax and tense vowels lies in the articulatory characteristics and the position of the speech muscles during their production. Here are the main differences:
- Muscle tension: Lax vowels are produced with a more relaxed speech muscle movement, while tense vowels are produced with a general tension of the speech muscles.
- Length: Lax vowels are generally shorter than tense vowels of the same height.
- Tongue root position: In the articulation of tense vowels, the root moves more forward, creating an advanced tongue root (ATR).
- Lip position: Tense vowels are more rounded or have more spread lips compared to lax vowels.
- Tongue body position: Tense vowels are articulated with the tongue in a higher position.
Examples of lax vowels in English include /I/ (as in "bit"), /e/ (as in "bet"), /æ/ (as in "bat"), /U/ (as in "put"), and /ô/ (as in "caught"). Examples of tense vowels include /i/ (as in "beat"), /u/ (as in "boot"), and /o/ (as in "book").
Lax vowels tend to occur in one-syllable words that end in consonants, while tense vowels usually occur at the end of one-syllable words. Additionally, lax vowels are more centralized and tend to be monophthongal, while tense vowels are more peripheral and tend to be diphthongal.
Comparative Table: Lax vs Tense Vowels
The difference between lax and tense vowels lies in the production and articulation of the vowel sounds. Here is a table highlighting the key differences:
Feature | Lax Vowels | Tense Vowels |
---|---|---|
Muscle Tension | Relaxed | Tense |
Vowel Length | Shorter | Longer |
Tongue Root | More forward | Less forward |
Lip Position | Less spread | More spread |
Tongue Body | Lower position | Higher position |
Example | /I/ (bit) | /i/ (beat) |
/e/ (bet) | /ε/ (bes) | |
/æ/ (bat) | /æ/ (back) | |
/ɒ/ (dog) | /ɔ/ (so) | |
/ʌ/ (but) | /u/ (boo) |
Lax vowels are produced with a more relaxed speech muscle movement, while tense vowels are produced with a general tension of the speech muscles. Lax vowels are shorter than tense vowels, and they usually occur in one-syllable words that end in consonants. Tense vowels, on the other hand, are longer and tend to occur at the end of one-syllable words.
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