ɜ: - LOWER CASE REVERSED LONG OPEN E

Between half-open and half-close, central, neutral; free (long) and tense (strong).

For the articulation of /ɜ:/ the centre of the tongue raised between half-close and half-open position, the side rims making no firm contact and the upper molars. The lips are neutral.

The quality is remote from all peripheral Cardinal Vowel values.

Spelling

<er , err> herb /hɜ:b/, Berkley /ˈbɜ:kli/, err /ɜ:/
<ur , urr> Thursday /ˈθɜ:zdi/ , murmur /ˈmɜ:mə/, purr /pɜ:/
<ir , irr, yr, yrr> first /fɜ:st/, whirr / wɜ: /, myrtle /ˈmɜ:tl̩/, myrrh /mɜ:/
<w> + <or> world /wɜ:ld/, worse /wɜ:s/, worthy /ˈwɜ:ði/
<ear> earth /ɜ:θ/, earn /ɜ:n/
<our> journey /ˈdʒɜ:ni/, courtesy /ˈkɜ:təsi/
<eur> + <er> (Fr) voyeur /vwɑ:ˈjɜ:/ , Richelieu /ˈri:ʃəˌlзː/, milieu /ˈmi:ljɜ:/
Rare cases:
<ere> were /wɜ:/
<olo> colonel /ˈkɜ:nl̩/

Examples

sir /sɜ:/


serve /sɜ:v/


worth /wɜ:θ/


word /wɜ:d/


Turk /tɜ:k/

journal /ˈdʒɜ:nl̩/


attorney /əˈtɜ:ni/


jouney /ˈdʒɜ:ni/


The nurse prefers the turquoise purse.
/ðə ˈnɜ:s prɪˈfɜ:z ðə ˈtɜːkwɔɪz ˈpɜ:s/



The court adjourned the trial for the murder of the Turkish merchant, which surprised the world.
/ðə ˈkɔ:t əˈdʒɜ:nd ðə ˈtraɪəl fə ðə ˈmɜ:dər əv ðə ˈtɜ:kɪʃ ˈmɜ:tʃənt | wɪtʃ səˈpraɪzd ðə wɜ:ld /



The curly-haired girl's first birthday is on the third Thursday of this month.
/ðə ˌkɜ:liˈheəd ˈɡɜ:lz ˌfɜ:st ˈbɜ:θdeɪ ˈɪz ɒn ðə ˈθɜ:d ˈθɜ:zdi əv ðɪs ˈmʌnθ/



A turbot's not a burbot, for a turbot's a butt, but a burbot's not.
/ə ˈtɜ:bət z nɒt ə ˈbɜ:bət | fər ə ˈtɜ:bət z ə ˈbʌt | bət ə ˈbɜ:bət z ˈnɒt/



How much myrtle would a turtle hurdle if a turtle could hurdle myrtle?
/ˈhaʊ ˈmʌtʃ ˈmɜ:tl̩ wʊd ə ˈtɜ:tl̩ ˈhɜ:dl̩ ɪf ə ˈtɜ:tl̩ kəd ˈhɜ:dl̩ ˈmɜ:tl̩/

Pronunciation




The centre of the tongue is the tongue is positioned halfway between an open vowel and a half-open vowel.

The lips are neutral. The soft palate is raised (unless followed by a nasal).




Half open front vowel.

When we pronounce this sound, the front of the tongue is raised towards the hard palate, between the half-open and the half-close positions.

The tip of the tongue is in contact with the lower teeth. The lips are spread. The vocal folds vibrate during the production of this sound.

Spelling

<e>

Examples

erizo


mesa


mensaje


Que el bebé cese de beber leche frente a la tele.

Pronunciation




The front of the tongue is raised towards the hard palate, between the half-open and the half-close positions.

The tip of the tongue is in contact with the lower teeth. The lips are spread. The vocal folds vibrate during the production of this sound.