Questions and Answers
In which syllable type is a given vowel longest?
What is the factor that affects vowel length according to Rule 2?
What happens to vowel length as extra syllables are added to a word?
When can a reduced vowel become voiceless?
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What is the effect of syllable closure by a nasal consonant on a vowel?
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What is the relationship between vowel length and syllable type according to Rule 1?
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What is the phenomenon described in Rule 4?
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What is an example of a word where vowel length decreases from left to right?
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Study Notes
Vowel Length and Nasalization
- Vowels are longest in open syllables, next longest in syllables closed by a voiced consonant, and shortest in syllables closed by a voiceless consonant.
- Vowel length can vary depending on syllable stress, with vowels being longer in stressed syllables and shorter in unstressed syllables.
- In general, vowels are longest in monosyllabic words, next longest in words with two syllables, and shortest in words with more than two syllables.
- A reduced vowel may be voiceless when after a voiceless stop (and before a voiceless stop), especially in unstressed syllables.
Vowel Nasalization
- Vowels are nasalized in syllables closed by a nasal consonant, with the degree of nasalization varying extensively.
- The velum is lowered throughout a syllable beginning and ending with a nasal, making the vowel fully nasalized, as in the example of "man".
Vowel Retraction
- Vowels are retracted before syllable-final nasals.
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Description
This quiz covers the rules of vowel length and nasalization in phonetics, including the effects of syllable stress and word length. Learn how vowel duration varies in different syllable and word structures.