Question

What is the primary difference between tense and lax vowels?

• A. Duration of pronunciation
• B. Airflow obstruction
• C. Vocal cord vibration
• D. Stress pattern

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Duration of pronunciation

Understanding Tense and Lax Vowels in Phonology

• In phonology, vowels are often categorized as either tense or lax, a distinction crucial for understanding the English vowel system.
• The primary and most consistently identifiable difference between tense and lax vowels lies in their duration of pronunciation.

Tense Vowels

• Duration: Tense vowels are typically longer in duration compared to their lax counterparts. They are often referred to as 'long' vowels.
• Muscle Tension: They are produced with greater muscular tension in the vocal tract, particularly around the tongue root and pharynx. This tension pulls the tongue body higher and/or further forward or back.
• Vowel Quality: Many tense vowels in English are either diphthongs (gliding vowels, e.g., /eɪ/ as in 'face', /oʊ/ as in 'goat') or long monophthongs (pure vowels, e.g., /iː/ as in 'feet', /uː/ as in 'food').
• Syllable Structure: Tense vowels can appear in both open syllables (ending in a vowel sound, e.g., 'go') and closed syllables (ending in a consonant sound, e.g., 'feel').
• Examples: /iː/ (feel), /eɪ/ (say), /aɪ/ (my), /oʊ/ (go), /uː/ (moon), /ɔɪ/ (boy), /aʊ/ (now).

Lax Vowels

• Duration: Lax vowels are characteristically shorter in duration. They are often called 'short' vowels.
• Muscle Tension: They are produced with less muscular tension in the vocal tract, resulting in a more relaxed articulation. The tongue tends to be more centralized.
• Vowel Quality: Lax vowels are typically monophthongs (pure vowels) and do not involve a significant glide.
• Syllable Structure: In English, lax vowels almost exclusively occur in closed syllables (e.g., 'bit', 'bed'). They generally do not appear in stressed open syllables.
• Examples: /ɪ/ (bit), /ɛ/ (bed), /æ/ (cat), /ʌ/ (cup), /ʊ/ (put), /ɒ/ (pot – common in RP English), /ə/ (schwa, as in 'about').

Key Takeaways for Competitive Exams

• The primary distinction often tested is duration: tense vowels are long, lax vowels are short.
• This tense/lax distinction is a fundamental concept in phonetics and phonology, particularly in the study of English.
• Understanding this difference helps explain why certain vowels appear in specific syllable structures (e.g., lax vowels in closed syllables).
• It's important not to confuse 'tense' and 'lax' with 'front'/'back' or 'high'/'low' (vowel height/position), although these features often co-occur.
• The **schwa** /ə/ is a classic example of a lax, reduced vowel, common in unstressed syllables.