Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Schwa - Papers Online

Schwa

The reduced vowel sound called schwa is the most common vowel sound in spoken English. Schwa is a quick, relaxed, neutral vowel pronunciation.

Dictionaries represent schwa with an upside-down e.

Schwa does not have a single pronunciation. Instead, the sound produced for schwa varies between a short u (short u), short i (short i), and a short e (short e). Most commonly, the short u sound is used for schwa in American English pronunciation.

The reduced vowel sound, schwa, occurs in two different circumstances:

* in an unstressed syllable of a multi-syllable word.

* as a reduced vowel sound of a function word

This video covers schwa as a reduced syllable of a multi-syllable ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

be unstressed.

The vowel sound in unstressed syllables is usually reduced to schwa. Stressed and secondarily stressed syllables are not reduced.

The purpose of schwa is to allow unstressed syllables to occur more quickly so the main beats of spoken words are easier to place on the stressed syllables.

Because schwa is a function of syllable stress and not of spelling, many multi-syllable words do not seem to be pronounced as they are spelled. However, once learners can recognize stressed syllables it becomes easier to predict when schwa will be used in an adjacent, unstressed syllable, regardless of the spelling.

EXAMPLES

Let's look at some examples. (The stressed syllable is marked in capital letters, the reduced syllables are underlined. Notice that the stressed syllable is the most emphasized syllable of the word, and that the schwa occurs quickly, and sounds most similar to the short u sound (short u).

a spelling: a-GAIN, VIT-a-mine spelling: e-LEC-tric, ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

Schwa. (2012, October 22). Retrieved November 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Schwa/101715

"Schwa." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Schwa/101715>

"Schwa." Essayworld.com. October 22, 2012. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Schwa/101715.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 10/22/2012 10:34:43 AM
Submitted By: jorge1
Category: English
Type: Free Paper
Words: 401
Pages: 2

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier