Betszélesség

Betszélesség is a Hungarian term that literally translates to "breadth of speech" or "width of speech." It refers to the degree of openness of the mouth when producing a vowel sound. This articulatory feature plays a crucial role in distinguishing between different vowel sounds in Hungarian, as well as in many other languages.

The degree of betszélesség is determined by the position of the jaw and the tension of the muscles around the mouth. Vowels can be classified as either narrow (szűk) or wide (széles). Narrow vowels are produced with a less open mouth, while wide vowels are produced with a more open mouth. For example, the Hungarian vowel 'i' in "tíz" (ten) is considered a narrow vowel, requiring less mouth opening, whereas the 'a' in "alma" (apple) is a wide vowel, produced with a more open jaw.

The distinction between narrow and wide vowels is a phonemic one in Hungarian, meaning that changing the betszélesség of a vowel can change the meaning of a word. For instance, the word "ült" (sat) has a narrow 'ü', while "ült" (which doesn't exist with a wide 'ü' but illustrates the concept) would be a different word entirely if such a distinction were phonemic for that sound. This makes betszélesség a fundamental aspect of Hungarian phonology and pronunciation. Understanding this concept is essential for both native speakers to accurately perceive and produce vowel sounds and for learners of the Hungarian language.