On the Phonological and Articulatory-Acoustic Characteristics of Close (Y, I, Ū, Ü) Vowels

At present, spoken language occupies a special place in society, and its social significance has increased markedly. Spoken language is the primary means of linguistic communication in electronic communication systems, audiovisual mass media, and the performing arts. The sound system of the Kazakh language is studied from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives, as well as within theoretical and applied frameworks. The inherent regularities of the Kazakh language have been identified, and a corresponding research apparatus has been developed. The phoneme is a complex abstract sound unit and a set of diverse acoustic and articulatory properties. In the speech stream, it performs a significant (meaning-distinguishing) function. As a component of the phonetic system of a language, the phoneme undergoes various changes. If, in the same position, one sound is replaced by another, the meaning of the word changes; such sounds are recognized as manifestations of two different phonemes. This property is observed between the close vowels [u] and [ü]. For example, if in the word tus the close vowel [u] is replaced by the close vowel [ü], a new word tüs emerges. If, however, two related sounds do not occur in the same position, they are regarded as combinatorial variants of a single phoneme. The articulatory, pronunciation, and auditory characteristics of sounds have been comprehensively determined. Nevertheless, in accordance with the theoretical advances and practical requirements of each era, it is necessary to continuously refine the sound inventory and system of the Kazakh language. In the present study, the sound inventory of the Kazakh language is described within the framework of new directions in linguistics: auditory and experimental computer-based methods are applied on the basis of spectral, prosodic, phonological, and articulatory-acoustic analysis.  

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