Ə - SCHWA

Between half-open and half-close (in non-final positions) and half-open (in final positions), central, neutral; checked (short), lax (weak).

For the articulation of RP /ə/, the centre of the tongue is raised between a half-open and a half-close position in non-final positions but in final positions the vowel tends to be articulated in the half-open central position or even lower [ə˕ ].

The lips are neutral. The acoustic formants of RP scwha are similar to those for /ɛː / and /ʌ/.

Spelling

/ə/ may represent the reduced (obscured, 'schwa') form of any vowel or vowel sequence in unaccented position po'liceman /pəˈli:smən/, possible/ˈpɒsəbl̩/ , August /ˈɔ:ɡəst/ , parliament /ˈpɑ:ləmənt/ , chieftain /ˈtʃi:ftən/ , tortoise /ˈtɔ:təs/, ancient /ˈeɪnʃənt/.'vengeance /ˈvɛndʒəns/
Also many examples of /ə/ derive from unaccented sequences of vowel(s) plus <r> figure /ˈ fɪɡə/, colour /ˈkʌlə/ , rancour/ˈræŋkə/ , surpass /səˈpɑ:s/ , forget /fəˈɡet/
or from the unstressed spelling <re> 'centre /ˈsentə/
In addition, /ə/ can be found in unstressed prefixes and suffixes such as
<suc-> succeed /səkˈsi:d/
<ad-> admonish /ədˈmɒnɪʃ/
<-ment> establishment /ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/
as well as in a large number of unstressed place-names suffixes:
<-bury, -bery> Newbury, Newbery /ˈnju:bəri/
<-borough> Flamborough /ˈflæmbərə/
<-burgh> Edinburgh /ˈedɪnbrə/
<-folk> Norfolk /ˈnɔ:fək/
<-ford> 'Oxford /ˈɒksfəd/
<-ham> Birmingham /ˈbɜ:mɪŋəm/
<-land> Ireland /ˈaɪələnd/
<-mouth> Bournemouth /ˈbɔ:nməθ/

Examples

buttock /ˈbʌtək/


question /ˈkwestʃən/


Belgium /ˈbeldʒəm/


attack /əˈtæk/


banana /bəˈnɑ:nə/


surpass /səˈpɑ:s/


See you later! / ˈsi: jə ˈleɪtə/


Hundreds of students are taking a miserable breakfast.
/ˈhʌndrədz əv ˈstju:dnts ə ˈteɪkɪŋ ə ˈmɪzrəbl̩ ˈbrekfəst/



There's a formal proposal to suspend the sentence.
/ðeəz ə ˈfɔ:ml̩ prəˈpəʊzl̩ tə səˈspend ðə ˈsentəns/



The present for my brother is a book about a wizard.
/ðə ˈprezənt fə maɪ ˈbrʌðər ɪz ə bʊk əˈbaʊt ə ˈwɪzəd/



Upper roller, lower roller.
/ˈʌpə ˈrəʊlə | ˈləʊə ˈrəʊlə/

Pronunciation




The centre of the tongue is raised between a half-close and a half-open position (in non-final environments) or around half-open position or even lower (word-finally). 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.