Dear Y, when is it sometimes?

Originally Posted on June 17, 2005 Last Updated on December 12, 2006

So we’re all aware of a-e-i-o-u and sometimes y as being the standard vowels in the English language. During my pursuit to discover when y wasn’t considered a vowel, I was, as usual, sidetracked and discovered the Dictionary of All Vowel Words.

Some of the words are real, some are a little more out there (as in a-a-a-a-a-a-oooooo. n. the sobbing moan of the lovelorn, as in the ska song ï¿½All My Tears (Come Rolling).ï¿½) but it’s a good time for those who dig on words anyway.

I also discovered a nice article on exactly what a vowel is. Now I’ll be able to WOW my friends and family when there aren’t any board games or alcohol to keep us consumed!

Up Next: New Stuff, and then some

Discussion

olivia 17 Jun 2005

Wow. Fascinating nose-picky stuff!

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quiddity 17 Jun 2005

nice discovery Nathan.

I have a quibble with the Dictionary of All Vowel Words. I consider words like ear, air and are to be all vowel words because they are composed of purely vowels (no consonants please Carol).

They should call it the the Dictionary of Words Which Are Spelt With The Letters Of The Alphabet Which Represent Vowels.

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ClickNathan 17 Jun 2005

Hmmm. Well, I wouldn’t want to hash abeeceedarianisms with you Quidpro, but a long name like that, well no one would read such a book.

That’s why the Bible or the Odyssey are so popular. People figure if massive books with 1000s of pages in them can be summed up into one letter words then the book must be either an easy read or worth it.

But I was really hoping you’d help me clear up my question “when is Y not a vowel?”

Like when it’s used to form the onset (such as in yellow or yellow-bellied scoundrel)? Basically, my conclusion was that if you could replace the “y” with a “j” that makes either a “yah” “ha” sound (such as jalapeno or hallelujah) then you’ve got yourself a consonant.

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ClickNathan 17 Jun 2005

ClickNathan said…

Oh and I couldn’t figure out what you meant by “ear” and “air” and “are” having no consonant sounds. This puzzled me until I thought about what English speakers from England sound like.

“Ooh uh you?” for “Who are you?”

“Lemme an eah” for “Lend me an ear.”

“Fuh up brisk ahe ote today en isa ih?” for “Fuck up brisk air out today then, isn’t it?”

Here in the good old capital of the world we definitely pronounce our “rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.” It keeps you upstart foreigners in your place.

*)>

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quiddity 17 Jun 2005

I forgot about you Americans and your unnecessary rhotic vowels ;-P

We who speak the Queen’s English know that vowels can be adequately distinguished through expert tongue positioning!

It’s time you were introduced to a whole new lingual concept: the approximant.

Approximants are phonemes which involve some contact between articulators but in which the speech air stream is relatively unimpeded (as it is for a vowel.)The approximants of English are l,r,y and w.

When an approximant is in the onset or coda of the syllable it functions as a consonant. However, When it is the nucleus it is functioning more as a vowel. These sounds are sometimes called semi-vowels.

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ClickNathan 17 Jun 2005

Ahh, I see. Just as I concluded, but more formal. Good job to you, Quiddity.

I think I’ll remember this while drinking my beer and smoking my cigarettes and pronouncing my big round vowels and showing respect to the most used letter in the English language (according to Jeopardy) and sitting in the most powerful nation in the world. (I almost said, “ever” but a) I wasn’t sure if that was taking it a little too far and b) I can’t be sure if, while reading that, you would have pronounced the last letter or not, so….)

Oh and 3) just kidding but feel free to retort.

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st0nes 19 Jun 2005

Oh this is just way to much for me!

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