Acoustic Analysis of Vowels

Acoustic Analysis of Vowels

The average values of formants (F) of the English vowels are within these range:                 

“In general, a format is a concentration of acoustic energy around a particulary frequency in the speech wave.”  (1)

       F1                             F2                                    F3

1.  / ɑ: / 710  (LB)  1.  / i: / 2250 (HF)             1.  / i: /  2890 

2.  / ӕ /  690  (LF)        2.  / I /  1920  (HF)      2.  / I /  2560

3.  / ɔ: /  590  (MB)      3.  / eI/  1770  (MF)     3.  /ɑ:/  2540

4.  / eI/  550  (MF)      4.  /ӕ/   1680  (LF)         / ɔ:/ 2540

5.  /ʊ/  450  (HB)         5.  /ɑ: /  1100  (LB)      4.  / eI / 2490

6. /I/ 400        (HF)   6. /ʊ/  1030 (HB)    /ӕ/ 2490

7. /u:/ 310 (HB)        7. /ɔ:/ 880 (MB)         5. /ʊ/ 2380

8. /i:/ 280 (HF)    8. /u:/ 870 (HB)  6./u:/ 2250

Machine -----  sound spectrograph

Patterns  ----- spectrogram

                     = visible speech  (voiceprint)

Formant frequencies = overtone pitches

When the vocal cords are vibrating rapidly, the pitch is high.  The variation in pitch is created by changes in the rate of vocal cord vibration.

All the vowels are voiced.

F1                    F2                    F3

1.   / ɑ:/          1.   / i: /                1.  / i: /

2.   / ӕ /           2.   / I /                2.  / I /

3.   / ɔ: /           3.   /eI/                3.  / ɑ: /

4.   / eI/            4.   / ӕ /                4.   / ɔ:/

5.   /ʊ/             5.   / ɑ:/                5.  /eI/

6.   /I/            6.   / ʊ /                6.   / ӕ /

7.   / u: /         7.   / ɔ:/                 7.  / ʊ /

8.   / i: /          8.   /u:/                 8.  /u:/

F1                          F2              F3

1.  / ɑ:/          5                3

2.  / ӕ /          4                6

3.  / ɔ: /          7                4

4.   / eI /        3                5

5.    / ʊ /        6                7

*6.  / I /        2                2

*7.   / u: /       8                8

*8.   / i:/         1                1

(value from high to low)

Note:

1.   Prof. Dr. Imran Ho Abdullah.  (2007)  HBET1203  English Phonetics and 

      Phonology.  Meteor Doc. Sdn. Bhd.

This is the course module from Open University, Malaysia.  The information of my notes are mainly from this module.    I tried to make the concepts as clear as possible with my own words.  Of course, I added the details from the long years' study, observation and research.   I tried to be as well-organised and systematic as possible for easy learning and remembrance.   Learning to me to be considered has taken place when you can remember what you have learnt and can apply it  in the new situation.  
          General rules are common wealth.  They are dead-fixed.   But we can organise them creatively and systematically for easy learning and remembrance.
Unless I cannot use my own words to rephrase them, I use the writer's words.   I would like to be as creative as possible with the dead-fixed rules.   Otherwise it is meaningless to create notes.   You may compare my notes with the course module and see the differences and similarities.  
         I believe in creativity to keep my teaching alive and fun.   I don't enjoy copying.  I make it a point:  Never accept anything blindly for my own good and others.