Artikulationshöhe

Artikulationshöhe refers to the vertical position of the tongue during the articulation of a speech sound, specifically vowels. It is a key parameter in the description of vowel sounds within phonetics. Vowels are categorized along a high-low axis based on how close the highest point of the tongue is to the roof of the mouth. Sounds produced with the tongue raised high in the mouth are called high vowels, while those produced with the tongue lowered are called low vowels. Vowels with an intermediate tongue position are referred to as mid vowels.

For example, in English, the vowel sound in "see" is considered a high front vowel, as the tongue is positioned high and forward in the mouth. Conversely, the vowel sound in "father" is a low back vowel, with the tongue low and towards the back of the mouth. The precise artikulationshöhe, along with other parameters like tongue backness and lip rounding, determines the distinct quality of each vowel sound within a language's phonological system. Understanding artikulationshöhe is fundamental to accurately classifying and describing vowel phonetics.