156 PHYSIOLOGY CHAP. 



Indian, Gothic, and Arabic writing. They are i (ee\ a (ah), u (00). 

 All other vowels used in modern languages and dialects are inter- 

 mediate, and are derived from these three typical vowels. 



The system of distinct vowels used in different languages and 

 dialects is represented in the following diagram of Briicke (after 

 Hellwag) : 



A 



A e A 



E a A oe O 



E E O 



I I u U 1 U 



The angles of the triangle are occupied by three typical vowels ; at 

 the sides and within the triangle are the intermediate vowels, many 

 of which are not represented in written language by special signs. 



The mouth takes up a definite position for each vowel according 

 as it is pronounced aloud or whispered. These positions of course 

 differ most for the three typical vowels. 



As shown by Fig. 100 the larynx is most raised at i (ee), the 

 lips are drawn back and the oral aperture is widened transversely, 

 the teeth are brought close together, and the tongue is raised 

 from the floor of the mouth and brought near the palate so as 

 to leave only a narrow opening for the air. With u (oo), on >the 

 contrary, the larynx is lowered as far 'as possible, the oral aperture 

 is brought forward and constricted, the lips forming an almost 

 circular opening, owing to contraction of the orbicularis, and the 

 tongue is dropped towards the floor of the mouth and raised 

 behind towards the soft palate. Lastly, with a (ah) the vocal 

 tube has a length intermediate between i (ee) and u (oo), the 

 larynx is least displaced, the mouth is wide open and rounded, 

 and the whole tongue is drawn back towards the floor of the 

 mouth so as to form a funnel-shaped cavity. 



Certain authors distinguish a (ah,) as pharyngeal, i (ee) as 

 palatal, u (oo) as velar (Fig. 100), but these terms have little 

 physiological value. The phonic characters of the different vowels 

 depend essentially on the position and special form of the whole 

 resonance cavity, and not merely on the different regions in which 

 it becomes constricted. 



In the intermediate vowels the different movable parts of the 

 resonator take up intermediate positions : e (eh), e a (e = let), a e 

 (a = hat) are formed between i (ie) and a (ah) ; o (oh), o a ( = or), 

 a (6 = shot) between u (oo) and a (ah). 



The pure vowels are pronounced with the soft palate raised, 

 and the nasal cavities more or less completely closed (Fig. 100). 

 When the soft palate is not raised the vowel has a nasal sound, 

 and if the nostrils are closed this is intensified, because the air 

 in the nasal cavity is better able to vibrate in unison with the 

 air of the pharyngo-buccal cavity. 



