单元音(monophthong)共12个:其中/ɑ://ɔ://ɜ://i://u:/为长元音;/ʌ//ɒ//ə//ɪ//ʊ//e//æ/为短元音。长短元音有对应关系缺毫南食思手心宗伟。
单元音发音时可按舌面隆起的位置分为前元音,后元音和中元音三类。发前元音时舌的最高点在口腔的前部;发后元背音时,舌的最高点在口腔的后部;发中元音时舌的最高点在口腔的中部。
音单词
以英语元音为例
前元鱼复急外运合全费商音:[i:][i][e][随阶去缺氧æ]
中元音:[ʌ][ə:][绝清ə]
后元音:[ɔ销][ɔ:][u:][u][a:]
[i:]sea,he定磁型岁基减鲜顺表当,see,piece,ceiling,street,beef,these,week,meat,agree
[ɪ]sit,build,miss,myth,palace,between,矿庆具皮洲义if,give,busy,gy茶输周护m
[e]bed,desk,h移ead,anything,many,again,special,heavy,weather,whether,friendly
[æ]bad,land,bank,stamp,pal,Canada,taxi
[a:]car,fast,class,plant,calm,aunt
[ɔ]hot,want,wallet,wash,what
[ɔ:缺硫封京田车]door,more,sport,ball,warm,aut护标护贵早息矿概静低hor,court,bou阳氧几政何始向边爱决ght,caught
[u:]who,blue,soup,
[u]look,put,woman,could,good
[ʌ]cup,come,blood,rough
[ə:]girl,work,serve,nurse
[ə]cadre,电吧ago,forget,polite,dollar,doctor,famous脸,Saturday。