The close central rounded vowel, or high central rounded vowel, is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is . The sound is also commonly referred to by the name of its symbol, "barred u".
The close central rounded vowel is the vocalic equivalent of the rare labialized post-palatal approximant .Instead of "post-palatal", it can be called "retracted palatal", "backed palatal", "palato-velar", "pre-velar", "advanced velar", "fronted velar" or "front-velar".
In most languages this rounded vowel is pronounced with protruded lips (endolabial). However, in a few cases the lips are compressed (exolabial).
Close central protruded vowel The close central protruded vowel is typically transcribed in IPA simply as , and that is the convention used in this article. As there is no dedicated diacritic for protrusion in the IPA, symbol for the close central rounded vowel with an old diacritic for labialization, , can be used as an ad hoc symbol for the close central protruded vowel. Another possible transcription is or (a close central vowel modified by endolabialization), but this could be misread as a diphthong.
Features
Occurrence Because central rounded vowels are assumed to have protrusion, and few descriptions cover the distinction, some of the following may actually have compression.
Language Word IPA Meaning Notes Angami Khonoma 'deep' Allophone of after . ArmenianSome Eastern dialects /yowġ 'oil' Allophone of after . BerberAyt Seghrouchen /للايݣّور / 'he goes' Allophone of after velar consonants. Dutch Standard Northern 'now' Typically transcribed in IPA with ; also described as close front and near-close front . See Dutch phonology English Australian 'goose' See Australian English phonology New Zealand See New Zealand English phonology Standard Southern British Realized as back in the conservative variety. Scouse May (less commonly) be fully front instead. South African Realized as back in the conservative variety and in many Black and Indian varieties. See South African English phonology General American Can be back instead. German Upper Saxon 'booths' The example word is from the Chemnitz dialect. Hausa Allophone of . Ibibio Dialect of the Uruan area and Uyo 'cover many things/times' Allophone of between consonants. Some dialects Phonemic; contrasts with . Irish Munster 'quiet' Allophone of between slender consonants. See Irish phonology Ulster 'apples' Often only weakly rounded; may be transcribed in IPA with . Irula "to surround" Has other centralized vowels. Kurdish Southern / مۊچگ 'dust' See Kurdish phonology Limburgish Some dialects 'breadroll' Close or near-close , depending on the dialect. Close front in other dialects. Typically transcribed in IPA with . The example word is from the Maastrichtian dialect, in which the vowel is close. Lüsu 'Lüsu' MochicaHovdhaugen, Even (2004). Mochica. Munich: LINCOM Europa. Exact phonetic value uncertain. One of many proposed realizations. Russian / 'curium' Allophone of between palatalized consonants. Near-close when unstressed. See Russian phonology Scots 'boot' May be more front instead. Scottish Gaelic older Lewis speakers 'anyway' Normal allophone of . Fronted as among younger speakers. Wester Ross and Lochalsh Normal allophone of . Swedish Bohuslän 'howl' A fricated vowel that corresponds to in Central Standard Swedish. See Swedish phonology Närke Tamil 'tail' Epenthetic vowel inserted in colloquial speech after word-final liquids; can be unrounded instead. See Tamil phonology
Close central compressed vowel
As there are no diacritics in the IPA to distinguish protruded and compressed rounding, an old diacritic for labialization, (the opposite of ), will be used here as an ad hoc symbol for compressed central vowels. It was only added to Unicode in 2025, however, and it may take some time for font support to catch up. Another attested transcription is ( modified with labial compression),e.g. in Flemming (2002) Auditory representations in phonology, p. 83. though this may imply that the vowel is a diphthong (as indeed it is in Swedish).
The central-vowel stroke of may also be used with the front compressed vowel to create the ad hoc symbol , or the diacritic for centralization to create .
Features
Occurrence This vowel is typically transcribed in IPA with . It occurs in some dialects of Swedish, but see also close front compressed vowel. The close back vowels of Norwegian and Swedish are also compressed. See close back compressed vowel. It also occurs in Japanese as an allophone. Medumba has a compressed central vowel where the corners of the mouth are not drawn together.
Language Word IPA Meaning NotesNorwegianUrban East'house'Typically transcribed in IPA with . Also described as front . See Norwegian phonology Swedish Some dialects 'ugly' More front in Central Standard Swedish; typically transcribed in IPA as . See Swedish phonology
Near-close central protruded vowel
Some languages feature the near-close central rounded vowel, which is slightly lower than a typical . It is most often transcribed in IPA with , and , but is also a possible transcription. The symbol , a conflation of and , is used as an unofficial extension of the IPA to represent this sound by a number of publications, such as Accents of English by John C. Wells.
Features
Occurrence {| class="wikitable" style="clear: both;" ! colspan="2" | Language !! Word !! IPA !! Meaning !! Notes |- | Dutch || Randstad. The source describes the Standard Dutch vowel as front-central , but more sources (e.g. and ) describe it as central . As far as the raised varieties of this vowel are concerned, Collins and Mees do not describe their exact backness. || || || 'hut' || Found in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Lower in Standard Dutch. See Dutch phonology |- | rowspan="6" | English || Estuary || || || 'foot' || The exact height, backness and roundedness is variable. |- | Cockney || rowspan="4" | good || rowspan="4" | || rowspan="4" | 'good' || Only in some words, particularly good, otherwise realized as near-back . |- | Rural white Southern American || Can be front instead. |- | Southeastern English || May be unrounded instead; it corresponds to in other dialects. See English phonology |- | Ulster || Short allophone of . |- | Shetland|| strut|| || 'strut' |Can be or instead. |- | colspan="2" |Russian |любить/lyubit'/ljubit''' |[lʲʉ̞ˈbʲitʲ] |'to love' |Unstressed allophone of /u/ between palatalized consonants.
Near-close central compressed vowel
As there are no diacritics in the IPA to distinguish protruded and compressed rounding, an old diacritic for labialization, (the opposite of ), will be used here as an ad hoc symbol for compressed central vowels. It was only added to Unicode in 2025, however, and it may take some time for font support to catch up.
The central-vowel stroke of may also be used with the front compressed vowel to create the ad hoc'' symbol , or the diacritic for centralization to create .
Features
Occurrence Language Word IPA Meaning Notes Japanese Some younger speakers / 'air' Allophone of ; near-back for other speakers. Standard Tokyo pronunciation / 'sushi' Allophone of after and palatalized consonants. See Japanese phonology
See also Close back compressed vowel Close front protruded vowel
Notes
References
External links