Open schwa [ə̞]

It is the final sound of such words as mother and father in the speech of many speakers of British English.

fivejedjonIt is the final sound of such words as mother and father in the speech of many speakers of British English.

Are there actually any acoustic differences between open schwa [??] and phoneme /?/
or any fine differences can be ignored ?

As I have explained elsewhere, the phonemic symbol /?/ is not recognised as a precisely defined sound. The phonetic symbol [??] is pretty precisely defined. Some writers, particularly in North America would use /?/ for the [??] sound of the final syllable of mother (in non-rhotic varieties). Most British writers would use /?/.

fivejedjon the phonemic symbol /?/ is not recognised as a precisely defined sound.

Normally the teachers ask non-native speakers to say cut and cat to establish if the non-native speaker can pronunce the sounds /?/ and /æ/ correctly. Surely if the phonemic symbol /?/ was not recognised as a precisely defined sound they would not have asked the question.

AnonymousNormally the teachers ask non-native speakers to say cut and cat to establish if the non-native speaker can pronunce the sounds /?/ and /æ/ correctly. Surely if the phonemic symbol /?/ was not recognised as a precisely defined sound they would not have asked the question.

Within any particular system of phonemic transcription, the symbols /?/ and /æ/

AnonymousAre there actually any acoustic differences between open schwa [??] and phoneme /?/

Certainly. That schwa (being represented within the symbols [ ], and therefore a sound) can be heard. That phoneme (being represented within the symbols / /, and therefore a symbolic representation of many similar sounds, and not a sound in itself) cannot b

Open schwa [??] is basically a sound very similar to /?/ but /?/ sound can only be used in stressed syllables. So how is that open schwa [??] can be used in unstressed syllables like mother, father and air in BrE or the exception to the rules apply?

AnonymousOpen schwa [??] is basically a sound very similar to /?/ but /?/ sound can only be used in stressed syllables.

Read CJ's last post.

There is really no point in continuing this discussion until you understand the difference between phonology and phonetics.

If you are really interested in English vowels, I suggest you read Gimson’s

fivejedjonThere is really no point in continuing this discussion until you understand the difference between phonology and phonetics.

Obviously if i did understood i would have not asked the question.

fivejedjonRead CJ's last post.

As understand it, as open schwa [??] is one of the allophones of phoneme /?/, it can be used in unstressed syllables like mother, father and air.
However, if it was an allophone of phoneme /?/ then it can only be used in stressed syllables.