Magánhangzókészlet

Magánhangzókészlet refers to the set of vowel sounds present in a particular language. It describes the inventory of distinct vowel phonemes that native speakers use to differentiate meaning. For example, in English, the words "bat," "bet," and "bit" are distinguished by their vowel sounds, forming part of the English magánhangzókészlet. The number and quality of these sounds can vary significantly between languages. Some languages have a rich magánhangzókészlet with many distinct vowels, while others have a simpler system with fewer.

The realization of these phonemes can also differ. A single phoneme in one language might be represented by slightly different vowel sounds depending on the surrounding consonants or the speaker's dialect. Linguists study the magánhangzókészlet using phonetic descriptions, such as vowel height (how high or low the tongue is), backness (how far forward or back the tongue is), and lip rounding. These features help categorize and compare the vowel systems of different languages. The concept is crucial for understanding phonology and for language acquisition and teaching.