back vowel

Frequency: 6.04.5 per million words

A vowel sound produced with the highest point of the tongue positioned towards the back of the mouth.

vowelADJECTIVE + vowel

Categories:

back

Examples (10)

  • In phonetics, a back vowel is produced with the tongue near the back of the mouth.
  • The sound /uː/ in 'boot' is a classic example of a high back vowel.
  • Many languages differentiate between front and back vowels.
  • Accurate articulation of back vowels is essential for native-like pronunciation.
  • The phoneme /ɑː/ (as in 'father') is classified as a low back vowel.
  • Students often struggle with the subtle differences between similar back vowels.
  • The primary characteristic of a back vowel is the tongue's position.
  • English possesses a rich inventory of back vowels, including /ɔː/ and /ɒ/.
  • When producing a back vowel, the highest point of the tongue is towards the velum.
  • Some regional accents exhibit a noticeable fronting of back vowels.