weak vowel
Frequency: 5.02.1 per million words
An unstressed vowel, often a schwa.
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Examples (10)
- In English, an unstressed syllable often contains a weak vowel, like the schwa.
- The pronunciation of the weak vowel can vary slightly between different dialects.
- Language learners sometimes find it challenging to perceive and produce weak vowels.
- A weak vowel is typically shorter and less distinct than a strong one.
- The word "banana" has two weak vowels, both represented by the schwa sound.
- Understanding weak vowels is crucial for achieving a natural English rhythm.
- Historically, some full vowels have reduced to weak vowels over time.
- Phonetic transcription often uses specific symbols to denote a weak vowel.
- The reduction to a weak vowel is a common feature of connected speech.
- When teaching pronunciation, emphasize the difference between a strong and a weak vowel.