910:
187:. Although "semivowel" and "approximant" are sometimes treated as synonymous, most authors use the term "semivowel" for a more restricted set; there is no universally agreed-upon definition, and the exact details may vary from author to author. For example,
529:, Martínez Celdrán suggests setting up a third category of "spirant approximant", contrasting both with semivowel approximants and with fricatives. Though the spirant approximant is more constricted (having a lower
541:'help'), the distributional overlap is limited. The spirant approximant can only appear in the syllable onset (including word-initially, where the semivowel never appears). The two overlap in distribution after
434:, semivowels are produced with a narrower constriction in the vocal tract than their corresponding vowels. Nevertheless, semivowels may be phonemically equivalent with vowels. For example, the English word
1120:
Ohala, John; Lorentz, James, "The story of : An exercise in the phonetic explanation for sound patterns", in
Whistler, Kenneth; Chiarelloet, Chris; van Vahn, Robert Jr. (eds.),
465:, a perceptually similar approximant-vowel sequence. The diphthong is analyzed as a single segment, and the approximant-vowel sequence is analyzed as two separate segments.
581:('and he has seen'). Again, it is not present in all dialects. Other dialects differ in either merging the two or enhancing the contrast by moving the former to another
45:
422:
Semivowels, by definition, contrast with vowels by being non-syllabic. In addition, they are usually shorter than vowels. In languages such as
1151:
866:
966:
505:, the production and perception of phonetic contrasts between the two is much weaker, likely because of lower lexical load for
1046:
949:
926:
309:
557:('flood') and although there is dialectal and idiolectal variation, speakers may also exhibit other near-minimal pairs like
406:. An unrounded central semivowel, (or ), equivalent to , is uncommon, though rounded (or ), equivalent to , is found in
987:
353:
1144:
976:
513:, and speakers' difficulty in maintaining contrasts between two back rounded semivowels in comparison to front ones.
1818:
1808:
1401:
1175:
199:
168:
121:
27:
1374:
623:
1369:
1381:
1364:
1356:
1137:
389:
546:
542:
506:
502:
498:
490:
486:
480:
476:
469:
462:
458:
41:
37:
1396:
1391:
453:
It is unusual for a language to contrast a semivowel and a diphthong containing an equivalent vowel, but
381:
297:
245:
227:
209:
1661:
1386:
837:
Bowen, J. Donald; Stockwell, Robert P. (1955), "The
Phonemic Interpretation of Semivowels in Spanish",
468:
In addition to phonological justifications for the distinction (such as the diphthong alternating with
341:
287:
1308:
1253:
399:
387:
379:
361:
351:
339:
329:
319:
317:
307:
295:
285:
909:
886:
1419:
1238:
1171:
608:
363:
331:
1622:
1617:
1528:
192:
267:
Additionally, there are dedicated symbols for four semivowels that correspond to the four close
1639:
1449:
1248:
1223:
1167:
881:
23:
1228:
1205:
1183:
582:
184:
1666:
1629:
1341:
603:
941:
The phonemes of
English: a phonemic study of the vowels and consonants of standard English
8:
1737:
1607:
1584:
1333:
1286:
1258:
586:
175:
may alternatively refer to any type of transitional sound, not necessarily a semivowel.
1602:
1435:
1243:
1200:
1100:
1072:
1010:
899:
854:
618:
525:(such as ) in that fricatives produce turbulence, but semivowels do not. In discussing
411:
1724:
1681:
1558:
1523:
1346:
1313:
1281:
1215:
1042:
1014:
972:
945:
922:
454:
903:
493:
with the former having a higher F2 onset (greater constriction of the articulators).
224:. When there is no room for the tack under a symbol, it may be written above, using
1749:
1742:
1597:
1553:
1548:
1411:
1323:
1300:
1276:
1233:
1192:
1092:
1064:
1002:
935:
891:
846:
526:
423:
407:
375:
151:
104:
82:
1813:
1714:
1612:
1592:
1533:
1501:
1318:
1036:
958:
939:
613:
510:
447:
427:
401:
395:
261:
867:"A perception-production study of Romanian diphthongs and glide-vowel sequences"
1686:
268:
203:
1018:
1006:
895:
1802:
1772:
1732:
1709:
1676:
1649:
962:
439:
431:
472:
in singular-plural pairs), there are phonetic differences between the pair:
16:
Transitional phoneme produced like a vowel but used like a syllable boundary
1782:
1701:
1691:
1671:
521:
According to the standard definitions, semivowels (such as ) contrast with
1787:
1777:
1767:
1654:
1511:
1122:
Proceedings of the 3rd Annual
Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society
1570:
1104:
1076:
858:
1759:
1565:
1476:
1471:
1458:
598:
522:
443:
58:
54:
85:
of a syllable. Examples of semivowels in
English are the consonants
1493:
1481:
1096:
1068:
850:
708:
706:
704:
78:
33:
1466:
573:('opened'). One potential minimal pair (depending on dialect) is
530:
485:
The transition between the two elements is longer and faster for
701:
635:
516:
1129:
1083:
Trager, George (1942), "The
Phonemic Treatment of Semivowels",
778:
679:
677:
154:
1506:
814:
766:
202:, the diacritic attached to non-syllabic vowel letters is an
159:
74:
718:
674:
742:
664:
662:
1124:, Berkeley: Berkeley Linguistic Society, pp. 577–599
107:
754:
659:
802:
1055:
Saporta, Sol (1956), "A Note on
Spanish Semivowels",
790:
647:
112:
32:. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see
689:
957:
730:
712:
641:
533:amplitude), longer, and unspecified for rounding (
242:. Before 1989, non-syllabicity was represented by
188:
995:Journal of the International Phonetic Association
874:Journal of the International Phonetic Association
1800:
1041:(third ed.), Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag,
988:"Problems in the Classification of Approximants"
985:
784:
772:
724:
683:
497:Although a phonological parallel exists between
206:placed below the symbol representing the vowel:
46:IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters
1038:Synchronic English Linguistics: An Introduction
836:
820:
1145:
517:Contrast with fricatives/spirant approximants
509:, which is limited largely to loanwords from
73:is a sound that is phonetically similar to a
1269:
1152:
1138:
919:A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics
885:
1119:
864:
760:
748:
1054:
916:
808:
668:
653:
417:
374:In addition, some authors consider the
1801:
1082:
796:
1133:
1034:
934:
736:
695:
36:. For the distinction between ,
968:The Sounds of the World's Languages
13:
1112:
986:Martínez Celdrán, Eugenio (2004),
394:to be semivowels corresponding to
14:
1830:
178:
1159:
908:
713:Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996)
642:Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996)
189:Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996)
150:
103:
1176:International Phonetic Alphabet
438:can be considered either as an
200:International Phonetic Alphabet
28:International Phonetic Alphabet
624:Voiced labio-velar approximant
302:(close front unrounded vowel)
222:COMBINING INVERTED BREVE BELOW
183:Semivowels form a subclass of
1:
629:
346:(close back unrounded vowel)
81:boundary, rather than as the
944:(third ed.), Springer,
821:Bowen & Stockwell (1955)
479:has a greater duration than
324:(close front rounded vowel)
314:(labio-palatal approximant)
7:
921:(6th ed.), Blackwell,
592:
368:(close back rounded vowel)
77:sound but functions as the
10:
1835:
1035:Meyer, Paul Georg (2005),
829:
1758:
1723:
1700:
1638:
1583:
1544:
1492:
1457:
1448:
1428:
1410:
1355:
1332:
1299:
1214:
1191:
1182:
1165:
1007:10.1017/S0025100304001732
896:10.1017/S0025100302001044
358:(labiovelar approximant)
277:Semivowel (non-syllabic)
865:Chitoran, Ioana (2002),
609:List of phonetics topics
457:contrasts the diphthong
450:ending in a consonant .
240:COMBINING INVERTED BREVE
101:, respectively. Written
917:Crystal, David (2008),
785:Martínez Celdrán (2004)
773:Martínez Celdrán (2004)
725:Martínez Celdrán (2004)
684:Martínez Celdrán (2004)
260:, which now stands for
193:labiodental approximant
132:are near to the vowels
24:phonetic transcriptions
1819:Approximant consonants
1809:Manner of articulation
1168:Articulatory phonetics
292:(palatal approximant)
21:This article contains
1342:Pharyngeal/epiglottal
971:. Oxford: Blackwell.
583:place of articulation
577:('already seen') vs.
1667:Labio-palatalization
604:Hiatus (linguistics)
418:Contrast with vowels
336:(velar approximant)
191:do not consider the
1357:Double articulation
938:, Antonie (1971),
751:, pp. 212–214.
587:Rioplatense Spanish
195:to be a semivowel.
619:Syllabic consonant
1796:
1795:
1682:Pharyngealization
1579:
1578:
1444:
1443:
1402:Uvular–epiglottal
1295:
1294:
1048:978-3-8233-6191-6
951:978-90-247-0639-6
928:978-1-4051-5297-6
671:, pp. 431–2.
372:
371:
280:Vowel (syllabic)
1826:
1750:Voice onset time
1455:
1454:
1375:Labial–retroflex
1267:
1266:
1189:
1188:
1154:
1147:
1140:
1131:
1130:
1125:
1107:
1079:
1051:
1031:
1030:
1029:
1023:
1017:, archived from
992:
982:
959:Ladefoged, Peter
954:
931:
913:
912:
906:
889:
871:
861:
824:
818:
812:
806:
800:
794:
788:
782:
776:
770:
764:
758:
752:
746:
740:
734:
728:
722:
716:
710:
699:
693:
687:
681:
672:
666:
657:
651:
645:
639:
548:
544:
508:
504:
500:
492:
488:
482:
478:
471:
464:
460:
405:
396:R-colored vowels
393:
385:
367:
357:
345:
335:
323:
313:
301:
291:
274:
273:
259:
256:
255:
251:
249:
241:
238:
237:
233:
231:
223:
220:
219:
215:
213:
166:
165:
162:
161:
157:
156:
119:
118:
115:
114:
110:
109:
43:
39:
1834:
1833:
1829:
1828:
1827:
1825:
1824:
1823:
1799:
1798:
1797:
1792:
1754:
1719:
1696:
1641:
1634:
1575:
1540:
1488:
1440:
1424:
1406:
1370:Labial–alveolar
1351:
1328:
1309:Alveolo-palatal
1291:
1265:
1254:Palato-alveolar
1210:
1178:
1172:Co-articulation
1161:
1158:
1128:
1115:
1113:Further reading
1110:
1049:
1027:
1025:
1021:
990:
979:
952:
929:
907:
887:10.1.1.116.1413
869:
832:
827:
819:
815:
807:
803:
795:
791:
783:
779:
771:
767:
761:Chitoran (2002)
759:
755:
749:Chitoran (2002)
747:
743:
735:
731:
723:
719:
711:
702:
694:
690:
682:
675:
667:
660:
652:
648:
640:
636:
632:
614:Mater lectionis
595:
565:('abject') vs.
553:('to plaster')
519:
448:closed syllable
420:
262:extra-shortness
258:COMBINING BREVE
257:
253:
252:
244:
243:
239:
235:
234:
226:
225:
221:
217:
216:
208:
207:
181:
158:
153:
149:
111:
106:
102:
51:
50:
49:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1832:
1822:
1821:
1816:
1811:
1794:
1793:
1791:
1790:
1785:
1780:
1775:
1770:
1764:
1762:
1756:
1755:
1753:
1752:
1747:
1746:
1745:
1740:
1729:
1727:
1721:
1720:
1718:
1717:
1712:
1706:
1704:
1698:
1697:
1695:
1694:
1689:
1687:Glottalization
1684:
1679:
1674:
1669:
1664:
1662:Palatalization
1659:
1658:
1657:
1646:
1644:
1636:
1635:
1633:
1632:
1627:
1626:
1625:
1620:
1610:
1605:
1600:
1595:
1589:
1587:
1581:
1580:
1577:
1576:
1574:
1573:
1568:
1563:
1562:
1561:
1556:
1545:
1542:
1541:
1539:
1538:
1537:
1536:
1531:
1521:
1520:
1519:
1509:
1504:
1498:
1496:
1490:
1489:
1487:
1486:
1485:
1484:
1474:
1469:
1463:
1461:
1452:
1446:
1445:
1442:
1441:
1439:
1438:
1432:
1430:
1426:
1425:
1423:
1422:
1420:Velopharyngeal
1416:
1414:
1408:
1407:
1405:
1404:
1399:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1382:Labial–palatal
1379:
1378:
1377:
1372:
1365:Labial–coronal
1361:
1359:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1349:
1344:
1338:
1336:
1330:
1329:
1327:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1305:
1303:
1297:
1296:
1293:
1292:
1290:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1273:
1271:
1264:
1263:
1262:
1261:
1256:
1246:
1241:
1239:Denti-alveolar
1236:
1231:
1226:
1220:
1218:
1212:
1211:
1209:
1208:
1203:
1197:
1195:
1186:
1180:
1179:
1166:
1163:
1162:
1157:
1156:
1149:
1142:
1134:
1127:
1126:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1108:
1097:10.2307/409556
1091:(3): 220–223,
1080:
1069:10.2307/411006
1063:(2): 287–290,
1052:
1047:
1032:
1001:(2): 201–210,
983:
977:
963:Maddieson, Ian
955:
950:
932:
927:
914:
880:(2): 203–222,
862:
851:10.2307/411039
845:(2): 236–240,
833:
831:
828:
826:
825:
823:, p. 236.
813:
811:, p. 288.
809:Saporta (1956)
801:
799:, p. 222.
789:
787:, p. 208.
777:
765:
763:, p. 221.
753:
741:
729:
717:
715:, p. 323.
700:
698:, p. 101.
688:
673:
669:Crystal (2008)
658:
656:, p. 211.
654:Crystal (2008)
646:
644:, p. 322.
633:
631:
628:
627:
626:
621:
616:
611:
606:
601:
594:
591:
518:
515:
495:
494:
483:
419:
416:
370:
369:
359:
348:
347:
337:
326:
325:
315:
304:
303:
293:
282:
281:
278:
269:cardinal vowel
204:inverted breve
180:
179:Classification
177:
44:⟩, see
20:
19:
18:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1831:
1820:
1817:
1815:
1812:
1810:
1807:
1806:
1804:
1789:
1786:
1784:
1781:
1779:
1776:
1774:
1771:
1769:
1766:
1765:
1763:
1761:
1757:
1751:
1748:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1735:
1734:
1731:
1730:
1728:
1726:
1722:
1716:
1713:
1711:
1708:
1707:
1705:
1703:
1699:
1693:
1690:
1688:
1685:
1683:
1680:
1678:
1677:Uvularization
1675:
1673:
1670:
1668:
1665:
1663:
1660:
1656:
1653:
1652:
1651:
1650:Labialization
1648:
1647:
1645:
1643:
1637:
1631:
1628:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1616:
1615:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1601:
1599:
1596:
1594:
1591:
1590:
1588:
1586:
1582:
1572:
1569:
1567:
1564:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1551:
1550:
1547:
1546:
1543:
1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1526:
1525:
1522:
1518:
1515:
1514:
1513:
1510:
1508:
1505:
1503:
1500:
1499:
1497:
1495:
1491:
1483:
1480:
1479:
1478:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1468:
1465:
1464:
1462:
1460:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1447:
1437:
1434:
1433:
1431:
1427:
1421:
1418:
1417:
1415:
1413:
1409:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1397:Coronal–velar
1395:
1393:
1392:Labial–uvular
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1376:
1373:
1371:
1368:
1367:
1366:
1363:
1362:
1360:
1358:
1354:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1339:
1337:
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1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1306:
1304:
1302:
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1288:
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1278:
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1250:
1247:
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1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1217:
1213:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1194:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1181:
1177:
1173:
1169:
1164:
1155:
1150:
1148:
1143:
1141:
1136:
1135:
1132:
1123:
1118:
1117:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1090:
1086:
1081:
1078:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1062:
1058:
1053:
1050:
1044:
1040:
1039:
1033:
1024:on 2010-07-11
1020:
1016:
1012:
1008:
1004:
1000:
996:
989:
984:
980:
978:0-631-19815-6
974:
970:
969:
964:
960:
956:
953:
947:
943:
942:
937:
933:
930:
924:
920:
915:
911:
905:
901:
897:
893:
888:
883:
879:
875:
868:
863:
860:
856:
852:
848:
844:
840:
835:
834:
822:
817:
810:
805:
798:
797:Trager (1942)
793:
786:
781:
774:
769:
762:
757:
750:
745:
739:, p. 51.
738:
733:
726:
721:
714:
709:
707:
705:
697:
692:
685:
680:
678:
670:
665:
663:
655:
650:
643:
638:
634:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
596:
590:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
570:
564:
562:
556:
552:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
514:
512:
484:
475:
474:
473:
466:
456:
451:
449:
445:
441:
440:open syllable
437:
433:
429:
425:
415:
413:
409:
403:
397:
391:
383:
378:approximants
377:
365:
360:
355:
350:
349:
343:
338:
333:
328:
327:
321:
316:
311:
306:
305:
299:
294:
289:
284:
283:
279:
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270:
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247:
229:
211:
205:
201:
196:
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176:
174:
170:
164:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
117:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
71:semiconsonant
68:
64:
60:
56:
47:
35:
31:
29:
25:
1702:Tongue shape
1692:Nasalization
1672:Velarization
1642:articulation
1516:
1412:Pathological
1387:Labial–velar
1270:Active place
1249:Postalveolar
1224:Linguolabial
1160:Articulation
1121:
1088:
1084:
1060:
1056:
1037:
1026:, retrieved
1019:the original
998:
994:
967:
940:
918:
877:
873:
842:
838:
816:
804:
792:
780:
775:, p. 6.
768:
756:
744:
737:Cohen (1971)
732:
727:, p. 8.
720:
696:Meyer (2005)
691:
686:, p. 9.
649:
637:
585:(), like in
578:
574:
568:
566:
560:
558:
554:
550:
538:
537:'widow' vs.
534:
520:
496:
467:
452:
442:ending in a
435:
421:
373:
266:
197:
185:approximants
182:
172:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
98:
94:
90:
86:
70:
66:
62:
52:
40:and ⟨
22:
1512:Approximant
1229:Interdental
1206:Labiodental
171:. The term
1803:Categories
1640:Secondary
1630:Percussive
1598:Ingressive
1571:Continuant
1028:2015-02-14
630:References
579:y ha visto
523:fricatives
1760:Phonation
1738:Aspirated
1733:Voiceless
1608:Implosive
1593:Egressive
1585:Airstream
1566:Occlusive
1517:Semivowel
1477:Fricative
1472:Affricate
1459:Obstruent
1334:Laryngeal
1287:Subapical
1259:Retroflex
1015:144568679
882:CiteSeerX
599:Diphthong
444:diphthong
412:Norwegian
63:semivowel
59:phonology
55:phonetics
1655:Rounding
1623:Ejective
1618:Pulmonic
1603:Ejective
1529:Tap/flap
1494:Sonorant
1482:Sibilant
1436:Bidental
1244:Alveolar
1201:Bilabial
1085:Language
1057:Language
965:(1996).
904:10104718
839:Language
593:See also
575:ya visto
455:Romanian
446:or as a
398:such as
271:sounds:
254:◌̆
236:◌̑
218:◌̯
148:written
79:syllable
38:/ /
34:Help:IPA
1773:Breathy
1559:Lateral
1524:Vibrant
1467:Plosive
1347:Glottal
1314:Palatal
1282:Laminal
1216:Coronal
830:Sources
551:enyesar
527:Spanish
424:Amharic
408:Swedish
198:In the
83:nucleus
26:in the
1814:Vowels
1783:Creaky
1743:Tenuis
1710:Sulcal
1554:Rhotic
1549:Liquid
1450:Manner
1324:Uvular
1301:Dorsal
1277:Apical
1234:Dental
1193:Labial
1105:409556
1103:
1077:411006
1075:
1045:
1013:
975:
948:
925:
902:
884:
859:411039
857:
555:aniego
511:French
430:, and
428:Yoruba
376:rhotic
250:
232:
214:
42:
1788:Stiff
1778:Slack
1768:Modal
1725:Voice
1715:Domed
1613:Click
1534:Trill
1507:Vowel
1502:Nasal
1429:Other
1319:Velar
1184:Place
1101:JSTOR
1073:JSTOR
1022:(PDF)
1011:S2CID
991:(PDF)
936:Cohen
900:S2CID
870:(PDF)
855:JSTOR
539:ayuda
535:viuda
499:/o̯a/
491:/e̯a/
489:than
481:/e̯a/
461:with
459:/e̯a/
404:]
400:[
392:]
388:[
384:]
380:[
366:]
362:[
356:]
352:[
344:]
340:[
334:]
330:[
322:]
318:[
312:]
308:[
300:]
296:[
290:]
286:[
173:glide
146:moon,
75:vowel
67:glide
30:(IPA)
1043:ISBN
973:ISBN
946:ISBN
923:ISBN
545:and
507:/wa/
503:/wa/
501:and
487:/ja/
477:/ja/
463:/ja/
432:Zuni
410:and
248:0306
230:0311
212:032F
144:and
142:seen
136:and
128:and
99:west
97:and
89:and
61:, a
57:and
1093:doi
1065:doi
1003:doi
892:doi
847:doi
571:rto
563:cto
547:/n/
543:/l/
470:/e/
436:fly
169:IPA
167:in
140:in
122:IPA
120:in
95:yes
93:in
69:or
53:In
1805::
1174:–
1170:–
1099:,
1089:18
1087:,
1071:,
1061:32
1059:,
1009:,
999:34
997:,
993:,
961:;
898:,
890:,
878:32
876:,
872:,
853:,
843:31
841:,
703:^
676:^
661:^
589:.
569:ie
567:ab
561:ye
559:ab
549::
531:F2
426:,
414:.
386:,
264:.
246:U+
228:U+
210:U+
160:uː
155:iː
138:oo
134:ee
124:,
65:,
1153:e
1146:t
1139:v
1095::
1067::
1005::
981:.
894::
849::
402:ɚ
390:ɻ
382:ɹ
364:u
354:w
342:ɯ
332:ɰ
320:y
310:ɥ
298:i
288:j
163:/
152:/
130:w
126:y
116:/
113:w
108:j
105:/
91:w
87:y
48:.
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