0
Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation

Sound possible without a vowel?

Hi, please help. I believe an English word needs a verb to come up with a sound like "baa." But the supposed sound "grrr" doesn't have a vowel but I saw it many times in books as denoting what sound a bear may make when it growls. Is it possible to have a sound without a vowel between or among consonants?
  

Top answer

Printed, grrr has no vowel. In this word, the / r / has a flow of air that makes it continuous, unlike a stopped consonant, like /p, t, k, b, d, g/. Think of the word father , just continuing the second syllable.

— Philip

  • Printed, grrr has no vowel.
  • In this word, the / r / has a flow of air that makes it continuous, unlike a stopped consonant, like /p, t, k, b, d, g/.
  • Think of the word father , just continuing the second syllable.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

2 Answers
0
Printed, grrr has no vowel. In this word, the /r/ has a flow of air that makes it continuous, unlike a stopped consonant, like /p, t, k, b, d, g/. Think of the word father, just continuing the second syllable.
0
0
AnonymousI believe an English word needs a verb vowel? to come up with a sound like "baa."
All you need is a continuant, a sound that can be continued, especially a voiced one. This includes many sounds besides just vowels, and it excludes plosives like p, t, and k.

CJ
0

Related Questions