RP
e
Lower case e
Between half-open and half-close, front, slightly-spread; checked (short), lax.
For the articulation of RP /e/, the front of the tongue is raised below the half-close positions. The lips are slightly spread and slightly wider apart than for /ɪ/. The tongue may have more tension than in the case of /ɪ/, the side rims making a light contact with the upper molars. The quality lies between that of CV 2 [e] and that of CV 3 [ɛ] = [e̞] or [ɛ˔].
Spelling
| <e> | wet /wet/, bed /bed/, pencil /ˈpensl̩/ | ||||
| <ea> | head /hed/, breath /breθ/, pleasure /ˈpleʒə/ | ||||
| <a, ay, ai> | any /ˈeni/, ate /et/ , says /sez/, said /sed/, against /əˈɡenst/ | ||||
| <ei> | leisure /ˈleʒə/, Leicester /ˈlestə/ | ||||
| <eo> | leopard /ˈlepəd/, jeopardise /ˈdʒepədaɪz/, Geoffrey /ˈdʒefri/ | ||||
| <u> | bury /ˈberi/ , burial /ˈberɪəl / | ||||
| Rare cases: |
|
Examples
| then / ðen/ |
| tech /tek/ |
| led /led/ |
| let /let/ |
| health /helθ/ |
| friend /frend/ |
| leopard /ˈlepəd/ |
|
Geoffrey Reynolds, my friend,
help me bury the dead.
/ ˈdʒefri ˈrenəldz ∣ maɪ ˈfrend ∣ ˈhelp mi ˈberi ðə ˈded/ |
|
The wretch concentered all in self.
/ðə ˈretʃ kənˈsentəd ˈɔ:l ɪn ˈself/ |
|
His head leant on a fence.
/hɪz ˈhed ˈlent ɒn ə ˈfens/ |
|
Many an anemone ate an
enemy anemone.
/ˈmeni ən əˈneməni et ən ˈenəmi əˈneməni/ |
|
Send toast to ten tense
stout saints´ ten tall tents.
/ˈsend ˈtəʊst tə ˈten ˈtens ˈstaʊt ˈseɪnts ˈten ˈtɔ:l ˈtents/ |
|
Seventy seven benevolent elephants.
/ˈsevnti ˈsevn̩ bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts/ |
Pronunciation
The tongue is positioned as far forward as possible in the mouth and is raised between the half-close and half open positions. The lips are slightly spread. The soft palate is raised (unless followed by a nasal).
PSp
e
Lower case e
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
Examples
| erizo |
| mesa |
| mensaje |
|
|
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.
