3 ms·

What I wrote as `h` functions as a vowel here. Is is by definition impossible to have a consonant without a vowel. When you say "mmm", it is really "ummm" or "e

What I wrote as `h` functions as a vowel here. Is is by definition impossible to have a consonant without a vowel. When you say "mmm", it is really "ummm" or "emmm". Even if you just humm to make the m, you'll have an initial sound at the beginning. I think of it a bit like fourier analysis. Like you automatically have higher frequency components when you have a rectangular wave form. Turning on the "m" out of nothing looks or sounds like an "e". I think you could make a recording of "mmmm", cut of the beginning or the end, and the transition from/to silence would still constitute a vowel. You can choose to have the vowel before, or after the m. Most often I've heard "m(e)nemonic".

yorwba 9y ago
> Is is by definition impossible to have a consonant without a vowel. I'm not sure what definition of vowel you subscribe to, but I tend to mean "a sound pronounced with an open vocal tract" [1], in which case you can have consonants without vowels. In particular, a simple transition from silence to voice does not constitute a vowel (nor does it sound very much like one, in my opinion). I also don't understand how you could choose to have the vowel before or after the m; under your definition of vowel, it would seem like every "mmm" would have to be "(e)mmm(e)" instead. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel
- captainmuon 9y ago
  Just what I learned in elementary school (1st grade in the US). Vowels are the five letters of the english alphabet that are special, because the pronunciations of all other letters contain a vowel. That's why the others are called consonants (with-sounders). I know that is highly unscientific, and probably doesn't reflect current linguistics, but it still makes sense to me :-)
  - yorwba 9y ago
    What you learned is not completely wrong, but 1. it only applies to English, 2. aeiou are the five classical vowels of the Latin alphabet, but English has more than five vowels (see the table here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English) 3. although in English every consonant occurs in a syllable together with a vowel (as a with-sounder, if you will), there can be multiple consonants in one syllable. E.g. "claps" is a single syllable with one vowel "a" and four consonants. There is no vowel directly adjacent to "c" or "s". This is also the case for "mnemonic": the syllable "mne" has one vowel and two consonants. (Except in the English pronunciation, where the "m" is dropped.)

yorwba 9y ago

> Is is by definition impossible to have a consonant without a vowel. I'm not sure what definition of vowel you subscribe to, but I tend to mean "a sound pronounced with an open vocal tract" [1], in which case you can have consonants without vowels. In particular, a simple transition from silence to voice does not constitute a vowel (nor does it sound very much like one, in my opinion). I also don't understand how you could choose to have the vowel before or after the m; under your definition of vowel, it would seem like every "mmm" would have to be "(e)mmm(e)" instead. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel

captainmuon 9y ago
Just what I learned in elementary school (1st grade in the US). Vowels are the five letters of the english alphabet that are special, because the pronunciations of all other letters contain a vowel. That's why the others are called consonants (with-sounders). I know that is highly unscientific, and probably doesn't reflect current linguistics, but it still makes sense to me :-)
- yorwba 9y ago
  What you learned is not completely wrong, but 1. it only applies to English, 2. aeiou are the five classical vowels of the Latin alphabet, but English has more than five vowels (see the table here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English) 3. although in English every consonant occurs in a syllable together with a vowel (as a with-sounder, if you will), there can be multiple consonants in one syllable. E.g. "claps" is a single syllable with one vowel "a" and four consonants. There is no vowel directly adjacent to "c" or "s". This is also the case for "mnemonic": the syllable "mne" has one vowel and two consonants. (Except in the English pronunciation, where the "m" is dropped.)