An x-ray microbeam study of Hindi vowel articulations

Using the x-ray microbeam system of the University of Wisconin at Madison, articulatory movement data were recorded from pellets attached to the tongue, upper and lower lips, lower jaw, and velum while a native speaker of Hindi produced ten oral vowels contained in non-sense words of the form bVb. The data do not support the traditional descriptions of Hindi vowels given in terms of either tongue height or vocal tract openness. For example, overall position of the tongue dorsum was higher for /e/ than /ɪ/, and similar for /ᴜ/ and /o/, and also for /ʌ/ and /ɑ/. Position of the jaw was lower for /ɔ/ than for /ɑ/. The lips were more open for /o/, /ᴜ/, and /u/ than for /ɔ/, and more open for /i/ than /ɪ/, /e/, and /ɛ/. Position of the lips for /e/ and /ɛ/ was identical. The velum showed somewhat greater elevation for /e/ than /ɪ/, and identical elevation for /ᴜ/ and /o/. The remaining relations among various structures involved in vowel production were as expected. However, overall relationships among these structures were quite complex.