The close back unrounded vowel, or high back unrounded vowel,[1] is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨ɯ⟩. Typographically, it is a turned letter ⟨m⟩.
The close back unrounded vowel can in many cases be considered the vocalic equivalent of the voiced velar approximant [ɰ].
Features
Its vowel height is close, also known as high, which means the tongue is positioned close to the roof of the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.
Its vowel backness is back, which means the tongue is positioned back in the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant. Unrounded back vowels tend to be centralized, which means that often they are in fact near-back.
It is unrounded, which means that the lips are not rounded.
Possible realization of the unstressed vowel /ɯ/, which is variable in rounding and ranges from central to (more often) back and close to close-mid.[10][11] Corresponds to /əl/ in other accents. Develops from dark L; See New Zealand English phonology
Typically transcribed in IPA with ⟨ɤ⟩; can be close-mid central [ɘ] or close-mid back [ɤ] instead, depending on the speaker.[14] See Estonian phonology
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Bowerman, Sean (2004), "White South African English: phonology", in Schneider, Edgar W.; Burridge, Kate; Kortmann, Bernd; Mesthrie, Rajend; Upton, Clive (eds.), A handbook of varieties of English, vol. 1: Phonology, Mouton de Gruyter, pp. 931–942, ISBN3-11-017532-0
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International Phonetic Association (1999), Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A guide to the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN0-521-65236-7
Labrune, Laurence (2012), The Phonology of Japanese, Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, ISBN978-0-19-954583-4
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Zimmer, Karl; Orgun, Orhan (1999), "Turkish"(PDF), Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A guide to the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 154–158, ISBN0-521-65236-7, archived from the original(PDF) on 25 July 2018, retrieved 20 November 2015
Close Claustrum Close-up Close combat Glenn Close Close up (disambiguation) Closer than Close Close to the Bone Close studding William Close Close to the Sun Charles Close Close encounter Close Encounters Close and open harmony Too Close Elizabeth Close Close (to the Edit) Close-mid vowel Chuck Close Close to You Chris Close Brian Close Barry Close Sarah Close Frank Close William Brooks Close Close to Me Close Combat (series) Close to Home Mary King's Close So Close Close Roll Close-packing of equal spheres Close Enough Up Close and Personal Near-close near-front rounded vowel Close-quarters c…
ombat Close Your Eyes Close reading Near-close near-back rounded vowel Close to the Edge Close Brothers Group Closer than Close (Jean Carne song) Close central rounded vowel Close the Gap Vicars' Close, Wells Maxwell Close (They Long to Be) Close to You Close Quarters Close stool A Close Shave Close vowel Betsy Close Near-close vowel Close to Shore Close to Home (band) Feel So Close Stay Close Close House Close-up lens Cathedral close This Close Close front rounded vowel Close back unrounded vowel Close-mid central rounded vowel Closer than Close (Rosie Gaines song) Close-in weapon system Close Enough for Love Curt Close Close to Seven Close helmet Joshua Close Gary Close Eric Close Close Relations Close to Paradise Don't Stand So Close to Me Close the Door And Close As This Close Combat III: The Russian Front Kelly Close Close to Perfection Up Close (disambiguation) Close-ratio transmission Close back rounded vowel Opening Day of Close-Up John Close Thorney Close Irish Women's Amateur Close Championship At the Close of a Century Close Encounters of the Third Kind East Close House Léon Close Dean Close School Close-mid front rounded vowel Close to Me (The Cure song) Up Close Peter