Question

Which of the following is true about the primary cardinal vowels?

• A. They represent common English vowels
• B. They are based on vowels from Romance languages
• C. They are physiologically equidistant positions of the tongue
• D. They are only used in theoretical phonology

Answer 1

Answer:

C. They are physiologically equidistant positions of the tongue

The primary cardinal vowels are positioned at evenly spaced intervals based on tongue height and front-back placement. This design helps map out the extreme boundaries of vowel articulation from high front to low back, irrespective of any natural language.