IPA number 320 Unicode (hex) U+028F Kirshenbaum I. | Entity (decimal) ʏ X-SAMPA Y | |
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The near-close near-front rounded vowel, or near-high near-front rounded vowel, is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨ʏ⟩, and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is Y. Sometimes, especially in broad transcription, this vowel is transcribed with a simpler symbol ⟨y⟩, which technically represents the close front rounded vowel.
Contents
- Near close near front compressed vowel
- Features
- Occurrence
- Near close near front protruded vowel
- References
The Handbook of the International Phonetic Association defines [ʏ] as a mid-centralized (lowered and centralized) close front rounded vowel, therefore, an alternative transcription of this vowel is ⟨y̽⟩ (a symbol equivalent to a more complex ⟨ÿ˕⟩). The symbol ⟨ʏ⟩ is sometimes also used to transcribe the close-mid near-front rounded vowel, which is a slightly lower vowel, though it still fits the definition of a mid-centralized [y]. It occurs in some dialects of English (such as Estuary or New Zealand), as well as some other languages (such as Weert Limburgish) and it can be transcribed with the symbol ⟨ʏ̞⟩ (a lowered ⟨ʏ⟩) in narrow transcription. For the close-mid near-front rounded vowel that is not usually transcribed with the symbol ⟨ʏ⟩ (or ⟨y⟩), see close-mid front rounded vowel.
For the fully central equivalents of these vowels, see near-close central rounded vowel and close-mid central rounded vowel.
The very rare near-close front rounded vowel, which differs from its near-front counterpart in that it is a lowered, but not centralized close front rounded vowel has been reported by one source as a phonetic realization of Standard Eastern Norwegian /ʏ/. It is transcribed in IPA as ⟨ʏ̟⟩, ⟨y˕⟩ or ⟨ø̝⟩.
The IPA prefers terms "close" and "open" for vowels, though many linguists prefer the terms "high" and "low".
In most languages this rounded vowel is pronounced with compressed lips (in an exolabial manner). However, in a few cases the lips are protruded (in an endolabial manner). This is the case with Swedish, which contrasts the two types of rounding.
Near-close near-front compressed vowel
The near-close near-front compressed vowel is typically transcribed in IPA simply as ⟨ʏ⟩, and that is the convention used in this article. There is no dedicated diacritic for compression in the IPA. However, the compression of the lips can be shown with the letter ⟨β̞⟩ as ⟨ɪ͡β̞⟩ (simultaneous [ɪ] and labial compression) or ⟨ɪᵝ⟩ ([ɪ] modified with labial compression). The spread-lip diacritic ⟨ ͍ ⟩ may also be used with a rounded vowel letter ⟨ʏ͍⟩ as an ad hoc symbol, though technically 'spread' means unrounded.
The close-mid near-front compressed vowel can be transcribed ⟨ɪ̞͡β̞⟩, ⟨ɪ̞ᵝ⟩ or ⟨ʏ͍˕⟩.
Features
Occurrence
Since front rounded vowels are assumed to have compression, and few descriptions cover the distinction, some of the following may actually have protrusion.
Near-close near-front protruded vowel
Catford notes that most languages with rounded front and back vowels use distinct types of labialization, protruded back vowels and compressed front vowels. However, a few, such as Scandinavian languages, have protruded front vowels. One of them, Swedish, even contrasts the two types of rounding in front vowels as well as height and duration.
As there are no diacritics in the IPA to distinguish protruded and compressed rounding, the old diacritic for labialization, ⟨◌̫⟩, will be used here as an ad hoc symbol for protruded front vowels. Another possible transcription is ⟨ʏʷ⟩ or ⟨ɪʷ⟩ (a near-close near-front vowel modified by endolabialization), but that could be misread as a diphthong.
The close-mid near-front protruded vowel can be transcribed ⟨ʏ̫˕⟩, ⟨ʏ̞ʷ⟩ or ⟨ɪ̞ʷ⟩, whereas the near-close front protruded vowel can be transcribed ⟨ʏ̫˖⟩, ⟨ʏ̟ʷ⟩ or ⟨ɪ̟ʷ⟩.
For the close-mid near-front protruded vowel that is not usually transcribed with the symbol ⟨ʏ⟩ (or ⟨y⟩), see close-mid front protruded vowel.
Acoustically, this sound is "between" the more typical compressed near-close near-front vowel [ʏ] and the unrounded near-close near-front vowel [ɪ].