Russian language lesson. Phonetic system. Vowels. Vowel reduction.

   This is lesson about vowel system in Russian with examples of pronunciation

Next lesson(consonants)

Hi, everyone. Welcome to first lesson about Russian language phonetics. Topic of this video is vowel sounds in Russian language.

This is all IPA(International Phonetic Alphabet) vowel sounds.

There are three propetries for determine the vowel in international phonetic classification:

-HEIGHT means height of rise top of tongue on the mouth.

We can determine six types of vowels due to this property: close, near-close, mid, open-mid, near-open, open.

Compare this sounds:

-BACKNESS means position of tongue relative to the back of the mouth. We determine front, near-front, central, near-back and back vowels.

-ROUNDEDNESS refers to whether the lips are rounded or not. On the chart there are two sounds in every position. It means, that left sound is rounded, and right sound is not. For example, see the difference b

u

etween sound and sound ɯ

English vowel sounds:

Russian vowel sound:

As you see, russian system is simpler, than english.

Also there is important Russian vowel phonetics rule, that names vowel reduction rule:

   In every unstressed positions “o” pronunciates like “a”. Examples: Mосква, голова, but налог

   In every unstressed positions “е” pronunciates like “и”. Examples: колесо, певец, but лето