五个元音字母的四种读音

一般来讲元音字母在单词中读元音，辅音字母在单词中读辅音，理论上每个元音字母要有四种读音才能满足20个元音的读音需要。我们把元音字母的四种读音分别称为：重开音、重闭音、非重音、协同音。

重开音是指元音字母在重读开音节的读音，元音字母在重读开音节中一般读字母本身的音或长音。重闭音是指元音字母在重读闭音节中的读音。非重音指的是元音字母在非重读音节的读音，元音字母在非重读音节一般有[ ə ]与 [i]两种读音。协同音是指元音字母在单词中的读音受到前面或后字母影响的读音。由于英语单词来源复杂，字母在单词中的读音也有不符合读音规则的情况，就如单词的形式变化一样，每种变化都有不规则的情况。五个元音字母中字母E的读音最不规则，经常与辅音构成相对开音节而不发音。元音字母在音节中的读音一般规则可以归纳为下表：

字

母

A

重开音

字母音[ei ]

grade made famous patient favorite stable

长元音[a:]

banana father rather

重闭音

[æ]

apple rabbit accident happen cabbage hamburger

非重音

[ ə ]

China American husband laboratory agree vegetable

[i]

orange language manager village temperature

协同音

后读[ɔ][ɔ:]

watch water wash was Washington

S/ n前读[a:]

past basket glass pass France dance fast last

字

母

E

重开音

[i:]

these we evening be Chinese he meter

重闭音

[e]

address next empty rest letter better left

非重音

[ ə ]

science hello open listen seven different

[i]

college toilet harvest wallet knowledge racket

协同音

ri/ro前读[iə]

zero serious period experience series

字

母

I

重开音

字母音 [ai]

quite quiet diary invite lion tiger besides exciting

长元[i:]

police machine magazine

重闭音

[i]

twins drink chips dinner trip winter

非重音

[i]

family tennis favorite office important animal

[ ə ]

pencil cousin festival holiday

协同音

gh前读[ai]

right light night bright flight

字

母

O

重开音

母音[əu]

home those over phone open October broken

长元音[u:]

who do improve move lose

重闭音

[ɔ]

hospital job hobby problem dollar dolphin soccer

非重音

[ ə ]

together today welcome carrot lesson history

协同音

th/ ve/

n/m前读[ʌ]

mother brother love some money glove other Monday another nothing monkey front month

字

母

U

重开音

字母音[j u:]

computer excuse student use music usually refuse

长元音[u:]

ruler true July June pollute

重闭音

[ʌ]

number uncle hunger jump run but

非重音

[ ə ]

stadium minus success August autumn support

[i]

minute

协同音

q/g后读[w]

question quickly language quarrel penguin