BASIC VOWELS

Basic Vowels

For the basic vowels, their letters also outline phonetic qualities of their sounds, i.e., rising [ɔ], outgoing [ɑ], falling [u], and incoming [ɘ]. Their phonetic articulations are very distinct from each other by the vowel height and shape of the lips (FIG. 2 and 3). Notably, the soft palate vibrates lightly when we pronounce [ɑ] and [ɘ] with unrounded lips. The pursed lips to pronounce [ɔ] and [u] increase the air pressure in the front side of the oral tract and vibrate the hard palate heavily in a relative sense.

PICTOGRPAPHIC VOWELS

In addition to primitive vowels outlining primitive articulators, basic vowels outline their palatal movements.

Pictographic Vowels

Basic Vowels		Primitive Vowels
ㅓ	ㅏ	ㅣ
ㅜ	ㅗ	ㅡ	ㆍ

BASIC DIVERGING VOWELS

ㅗ for [ɔ] indicates the hard palate moving up in the right articulatory profile and thus places a dot (ㆍ) for the active palate to the above the horizontal reference line (ㅡ). Likewise, ㅏ for [ɑ] indicates the soft palate moving forward or right and thus places a dot (ㆍ) for the active palate to the right-side of the vertical reference line (ㅣ).

BASIC CONVERGING VOWELS

ㅜ for [u] indicates the hard palate moving down in the right articulatory profile and thus places a dot (ㆍ) for the active palate to the below the horizontal reference line (ㅡ). Likewise, ㅓ for [ɘ] indicates the soft palate moving back or leftward and thus places a dot (ㆍ) for the active palate to the left-side of the vertical reference line (ㅣ).

BASIC SYLLABLES

Basic Open Syllables

All combinations of three primitive opening sounds and four basic lasting sounds populate basic open syllables.

ㅁ	ㅅ	ㅇ	Open. Last.
모	소	오	ㅗ
마	사	아	ㅏ
무	수	우	ㅜ
머	서	어	ㅓ


Speech Production	Letter Formation

Basic Closed Syllables

All combinations of four basic lasting sounds and two primitive closing sounds populate basic closed syllables.

ㅗ	ㅏ	ㅜ	ㅓ	Last. Clos.
옴	암	움	엄	ᆷ
옷	앗	웃	엇	ᆺ


Speech Production	Letter Formation

Closed Syllables by ㅁ

Three primitive opening sounds and four basic vowels closed by ㅁ populate some basic syllables.

ㅁ	ㅅ	ㅇ	Open. Rhym.
몸	솜	옴	옴
맘	삼	암	암
뭄	숨	움	움
멈	섬	엄	엄


Speech Production	Letter Formation

Closed Syllables by ㅅ

Three primitive opening sounds and four basic vowels closed by ㅅ populate other basic syllables.

ㅁ	ㅅ	ㅇ	Open. Rhym.
못	솟	옷	옷
맛	삿	앗	앗
뭇	숫	웃	웃
멋	섯	엇	엇

Letter Formation	(a) ㅏ


(c) ㆍ	(b) ㅗ

Letter Formation	(a) ㅓ


(b) ㅡ	(c) ㅜ