IPA – number 318
IPA – text ʉ
Entity ʉ
X-SAMPA }
Kirshenbaum u"
Sound sample (help·info)

The close central rounded vowel is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ʉ, and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is }. The IPA symbol is the letter u with a horizontal bar. Both the symbol and the sound are commonly referred to as "barred-u".

In most languages this vowel is exolabial (with pursed lips). However, in a few cases it is endolabial (compressed).

There is also a near-close central rounded vowel in some languages.

Exolabial (pursed)

Features

• Its vowel height is close, which means the tongue is positioned as close as possible to the roof of the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.
• Its vowel backness is central, which means the tongue is positioned halfway between a front vowel and a back vowel.
• Its vowel roundedness is exolabial, which means that the lips are rounded and protrude and the inner surfaces are exposed.

Occurrence

Language Word IPA Meaning Notes
English Australian boot [bʉ̟ːt] 'boot' See Australian English phonology
New Zealand
Cockney[1] [bʉːt] corresponds to /uː/ in other dialects. See English phonology
Estuary[2]
Scouse[3]
Irish ciúin [cʉ̠ːnʲ] 'quiet' Allophone of /uː/ and /u/. See Irish phonology
Norwegian hus [hʉːs] 'house' See Norwegian phonology
Russian кюрий[4] [ˈkʲʉrʲɪj] 'curium' Occurs only between palatalized consonants. See Russian phonology
Swedish ful [fʉ̟ːl] (help·info) 'ugly' See Swedish phonology

Endolabial (compressed)

As there are no diacritics in the IPA to distinguish endo- and exo-labial rounding, the spread-lip diacritic [  ͍ ] will be used here as an ad hoc symbol for endolabial.

Features

• Its vowel height is close, which means the tongue is positioned as close as possible to the roof of the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.
• Its vowel backness is central, which means the tongue is positioned midway between a front vowel and a back vowel.
• Its vowel roundedness is compressed, which means the corners of the mouth are drawn slightly together and the lips may be compressed horizontally, but do not protrude.

Occurs in

^{[dubious – discuss][Do the other languages really have exolabial central vowels?]}

Language Word IPA Meaning Notes
Norwegian gul [gʉ͍ːl] 'yellow'

This vowel is typically transcribed as <ʉ>. It also occurs in some dialects of Swedish, but see also close front compressed vowel. The close back vowels of Norwegian and Swedish are also compressed. See close back compressed vowel.

References

Bibliography