Phonetics and sound system of the Vietnamese language
Phonetics and sound system of the Vietnamese language
In Vietnamese, phonetics is not a secondary layer. An incorrect vowel, final, or tone can create a completely different word.
Vowel system
It is practically useful to keep the contrasts in mind right away:
a/a/ — open, full "a";ă— short variant of the open vowel;â— short central unrounded sound;e/ɛ/ — open "e";ê/e/ — closer front vowel;i/y/i/ — high front vowel;o/ɔ/ — open "o";ô/o/ — closer "o";ơ/ɤ/ — central-back unrounded;u/u/ — rounded "u";ư/ɯ/ — high unrounded back-central sound.
Russian equivalents here are only approximations. Especially ơ and ư require separate auditory and articulatory mastery.
Consonants
Some letters differ noticeably from Russian expectations. In the northern variant, for example, d is usually not "d" but a sound like /z/, while đ is closer to "d". b and đ have implosive realizations. Final p, t, c/k are pronounced without a full plosive release.
Sounds must be learned within the syllable
Vietnamese speech is structurally very syllabic. Therefore, it is more useful not to learn abstract letters by themselves, but to hear them within real syllables, comparing contrasts.
Links
- writing system: Alphabet and orthography;
- tonal part of phonetics: Tones;
- combination of vowels and finals: Syllable structure;
- regional realizations: Dialects;
- real sound requirements in the product: Audio layer of the course.
