Vokallyden

Vokallyden is a term used in phonetics and phonology to denote the perceptual qualities of vowel sounds that listeners use to distinguish vowels across languages and dialects. The term is not widely standardized; definitions vary. In some usages it refers to the multi-parameter space of vowel quality, including height, backness, rounding, tenseness, length, nasalization, and phonation differences. In others, vokallyden emphasizes how articulation and acoustic effects from surrounding segments shape perceived vowel quality, reflecting coarticulation and spectral tilt.

Etymology and usage: The word appears to be a compound derived from words for "vowel" and "sound" in Germanic-derived languages and is used mainly as a neutral label in discussions of vowel quality. It is most common in informal or community-driven writings and lacks a formal, universally accepted definition in peer-reviewed literature.

Applications and interpretation: Researchers may use vokallyden to describe or compare how vowels occupy perceptual spaces across languages, language varieties, or dialects. It can aid in vowel inventory comparisons, speech synthesis, and perceptual experiments on vowel discrimination. The concept is complementary to but not synonymous with traditional features of vowels such as height, backness, rounding, or phonation.

See also: vowels, vowel quality, vowel height, vowel backness, vowel rounding, phonation, coarticulation, speech perception, acoustic phonetics.