Speech School
Wood vowel model
Vowels are produced by the shape of the vocal tract (see Vowel Shaping). To describe the shape of the vocal tract of a given vowel we will use Sidney Wood’s vowel model.
The most fundamental dimension of the wood vowel model is location where the vocal tract is constricted. Vowels are categorized into those that are restricted at
- the hard palate,
- the soft palate,
- the upper pharynx, and
- the lower pharynx.
Tense and lax vowels are primarily distinguished the degree of constriction at the constriction location, with tense vowels being more constricted than lax vowels.
| Location | Tense | Lax |
|---|---|---|
| Hard Palate | Fleece | Kit |
| Soft Palate | Goose | Foot |
| Upper Pharynx | Though | Lot |
| Lower Pharynx | Bath | Strut |
The tense-lax and long-short categorizations coincide in English.
Open vowels have larger jaw openings than closed vowels. The open closed distinction is important for distinguishing the Dress and Kit vowels, which have the same constriction location (hard palate) and are both lax vowels.
| Open |
|---|
| Dress |
| Lower Pharynx Vowels |
| Upper Pharynx Vowels |
| Closed |
|---|
| Fleese |
| Kit |
| Soft Palate Vowels |
The lips can be either rounded or spread. Rounded means O shaped, and spread lips have their corners drawn back as in a smile.
| Rounded |
|---|
| Soft Palate Vowels |
| Upper Pharynx Vowels |
| Closed |
|---|
| Hard Palate Vowels |
| Lower Pharynx Vowels |