RP
u:
Lower case long u
Close, back, with very closed lip-rounding. Free (long) and tense (strong).
For the articulation of RP /u/ a part of the tongue somewhat centralised from true back is raised just below closed position, in a symmetrical back relationship with the front vowel /i:/. The articulation is tense compared to /ʊ/ and no firm contact is made between the tongue and the upper molars. The lips tend to be very closely rounded. The quality is that of a slightly lowered and centralised CV 8 [u] = [ü̞].
Spelling
| <u> | crucial /kru:ʃl̩ /, flute /flu:t/, fluency /ˈflu:ənsi/ | ||||||||
| <oo> | too /tu:/ , moon /mu:n / | ||||||||
| <o> | do /du:/ , move /mu:v/ | ||||||||
| <ou> | through /θru:/ , group /ɡru:p/ | ||||||||
| <ew, ue, ui, oe> | flew /flu:/ , blue /blu:/ , virtue /ˈvɜ:tʃu:/ , suit /su:t/ , canoe /kəˈnu:/ | ||||||||
| Rare case: |
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| Note that a shorter type of /u/ (without the length marks [ː]) can be found word- and stem-finally, with the spellings: |
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| /u/ can also occur word-medially, usually before a strong vowel with the spellings: |
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| Finally, /u/ is pronounced in such word endings as |
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Examples
| flu / flu: / |
| lose / lu:z / |
| loose / lu:s / |
| suit / su:t / |
| rheumatism / ˈru:mətɪzəm / |
| tissue / ˈtɪʃu: / |
| afternoon / ˌɑ:ftəˈnu:n / |
| supernatural / ˌsu:pəˈnætʃrəl / |
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Hugh and Sue were truly truants and liked cool, good food.
/ˈhju: ənd ˈsu: wə ˈtru:li ˈtru:ənts ənd ˈlaɪkt ˈku:l ˈɡʊd ˈfu:d/ |
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Excuse me, Andrew, do you have chewing gum and some fruit juice?
/ɪkˈskju:z ˈmi: ˈændru: də ju ˈhæv ˈtʃu:ɪŋ ˈɡʌm ənd səm ˈfru:t ˈdʒu:s/ |
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My wounds were oozing pus and I had to reschedule the junior troop meeting.
/ˈmaɪ ˈwu:ndz wər ˈu:zɪŋ ˈpʌs ənd ˈaɪ ˈhæd tə ˌri:ˈʃedju:l ðə ˈdʒu:nɪə tru:p ˈmi:tɪŋ/ |
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June assumes that by looking at the manual she'll produce a solution with a blue coloration.
/ˈdʒu:n əˈsju:mz ðət ˈbaɪ ˈlʊkɪŋ ət ðə ˈmænjʊəl ʃil prəˈdju:s ə səˈlu:ʃn̩ wɪð ə ˌblu: ˌkʌləˈreɪʃn̩/ |
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A Tudor who tooted the flute tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
/ ə ˈtu:də hu: ˈtu:tɪd ðə ˈflu:t ˈtraɪd tə ˈtju:tə ˈtu: ˈtu:təz tə tu:t/ |
Pronunciation
The back of tongue is positioned as close as possible to the roof of the mouth. There lips are very tightly rounded. The soft palate is raised (unless followed by a nasal)
PSp
u
Lower case u
Close back vowel.
When we pronounce this sound, the back of the tongue is raised towards the soft palate. The tongue is close to the palate. The lips are more rounded than when we pronounce /o/. The vocal folds vibrate during the production of this sound
Spelling
Examples
| útil |
| curioso |
| iglú |
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Pronunciation
The back of the tongue is raised towards the soft palate. The tongue is close to the palate. The lips are more rounded than when we pronounce /o/. The vocal folds vibrate during the production of this sound.
