W is a vowel

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Marvin A.

#331994 Thu, 22 Feb 07 04:03 AM

It's so funny to see "when" transcribed as "oo-eh-n". I used to think that everyone pronounced "when" like I do--like "win". It's interesting that the predominant pronunciation seems to be [ wEn ] .

Marvin A.

Joined on Fri, Dec 8 2006

Regular Member (638)

Pronunciation

Buddhaheart

#332927 Sun, 25 Feb 07 04:56 AM

Most linguists believe "<w>, like <y>, is a semivowel (a glide if you will). It functions as consonant but phonetically or articulatory a moving vowel because it moves rapidly from one vowel position to another. Some call it a phonetic vowel, semi-consonant or a vowel in disguise. It is considered as intermediate between a vowel and a consonant in speech sound.

<W> functions as a consonant <w> in ‘wet’, ‘wind’, ’would’ and ‘way’; but as a vowel in graphemes like <aw>, <ew> and <ow>. It forms the second part of a diphthong <u> in ‘raw’, ‘law’, ‘how’, ‘now’ and ‘chow’.

It should be or is being taught as a semivowel.

Buddhaheart

Joined on Sat, Jan 20 2007

Vancouver Canada

Full Member (130)

Vowels, Diphthongs, Phonetics, Consonants, Graphemes

Anonymous

#355977 Thu, 26 Apr 07 10:22 AM

Well, I do believe W is a vowel, most of the times, but often I think the English linguists do not want to accept it. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I think - and I've been taught in school (here in Manchester, UK) that it is a consonant. I made myself some research and I do believe it is a vowel, well with some exceptions.

Anonymous

Vowels, Consonants

Anonymous

#363512 Fri, 11 May 07 04:30 PM

Thank you so much sweetie

Anonymous

Forbes

#363663 Fri, 11 May 07 11:56 PM

Above I said:

First, we can say that when writing the symbol <y> may function as a vowel, as in words such as 'my'. <w> does not have this function in writing in English, although it does in Welsh.

On reflection it would have been better if I had said:

In writing the symbol <y> may function as a vowel as in words such as 'funny', as a dipthong in words such as 'my' and as a component of a dipthong in words such as "boy"; it is also used to represent the sound /j/. The symbol <w>, whilst it can be the component of a dipthong in words such as 'cow', never represents a single vowel; it is also used to represent the sound /w/. Whether the sounds /j/ and /w/ are vowels or consonants depends on how you look at it.

It is important not to confuse the letters of the alphabet with sounds.

Forbes

Joined on Thu, Jun 16 2005

Regular Member (839)

Vowels, Consonants

Anonymous

#408585 Fri, 24 Aug 07 04:03 AM

well for me i don thik so that W is a vowel ,,,,,,,!!!!!

Anonymous

Vowels

CalifJim

#409170 Sat, 25 Aug 07 08:58 AM

The symbol <w>, whilst it can be the component of a dipthong in words such as 'cow', never represents a single vowel

Don't you think the symbol <w> has the single vowel sound of <oo> in moon when used in the word few, for example? True, that <oo> sound is preceded by a glide (represented by the <e> in few), but it is not in itself a diphthong -- I would say.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,720)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Vowels, Diphthongs

Forbes

#409277 Sat, 25 Aug 07 03:10 PM

CalifJim wrote:
The symbol <w>, whilst it can be the component of a dipthong in words such as 'cow', never represents a single vowel
Don't you think the symbol <w> has the single vowel sound of <oo> in moon when used in the word few, for example? True, that <oo> sound is preceded by a glide (represented by the <e> in few), but it is not in itself a diphthong -- I would say.

CJ

No. The two letters together represent the dipthong /iu/ (or if you prefer /ju/) the same sound as represented by <u> in the word music (at least in SSE).