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
Queel 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.