Length vs. tenseness in the perception of the English vowels

Identifier:  TFG:5964

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG5964

Authors:  Salcedo Silva, Adrian

Abstract:
This paper focuses on the role that vowel length has in the perception of vowels and how vowel length is treated in the literature. Length-based classifications of vowels are widely used, yet their usefulness and congruity with reality are not apparent. This paper aims to ascertain the validity of the tradition that ascribes the main difference between traditional pairs of vowels (e.g., /i/-/ɪ/) to length. This paper analyses and compares the approaches to vowel length and tenseness by Kenyon, Jones, and Gimson, thereby describing the rationales that constitute the British and American traditions.