When is the letter Y a consonant and not a vowel? 0 0. However, the consonant sound is not consistently represented in English spelling by any other letter, and perhaps for this reason Y tends traditionally to be counted among the consonants. What’s The Eight-Year-Old reading this week? Grapheme (spelling) to sound correspondence is a product of historical phonology. Your email address will not be published. Here’s the bottom line: “Whether the letter Y is a vowel or a consonant is [a] rather an arbitrary decision,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. In fact, y occurs more commonly as a vowel than as a consonant. Try “how,” which is phonetically equivalent to “hou,” as in house. SOURCE. As mentioned ” y ” can be a consonant and a vowel. ( Log Out /  Cecil replies: Sure. The lazy old letter "y" uses the same sounds as some of the other vowels. In addition to the regular 5 vowels of A, E, I, O, U, the letter Y can sometimes act as a vowel as well. For this problem, we’ll create a function, called getCount, which takes as input a string and returns as output the count of how many vowels are in that string. Luckily, these are quite predictable. (Photo: Shala Howell), Wordless Wednesday: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Famous Blueberry Pudding. Rule 2 Y is a consonant when it appears at the start of a syllable where there is another vowel (yam, yet). Like You! The same is true when the Y serves as the only vowel in the syllable. 1 decade ago. New Topic Respond to this Topic « Return to General | All Forums. ", or "why are the letters w and y not considered vowels in English?". Anonymous. Vowels and consonants have been discussed before at: When determining if the Y is a vowel or a consonant, the basic rule is this: When the letter serves as a vowel, and in fact sounds like one, it is a vowel. In a way, this is a poetic rule, because it's all about sound. The word syllable is an example of this rule; when you break it into syl-la-ble, you'll see the "y" is working as a short /i/ sound. In Sydney, the first Y is a vowel, the second Y is a consonant. Besides the two Celtic words. When its in the front of a word. Keeping this in the background, we can address the question. That was also the place where the argument began. Whether the letter Y is a vowel or a consonant is therefore rather an arbitrary decision. See also: Special Letters in Numerology. Y often serves as a weak vowel as well, functioning in the same way and sounding the same as i. When Y is at the beginning it is not a vowel, like in you. And Y swings between vowel and consonant more than other swing letters. Examples are words like yellow, yacht, yes, or you. Vowels are always voiced, and have no attack of their own. So letters are just symbols on paper and not sounds. My peers think I’m nuts. That is why the letter ‘y’ sometimes acts as a vowel and sometimes acts as a consonant. If the "y" isn't at the beginning of the word or beginning of a syllable, it's functioning as a vowel. Rule 3 If there are no vowels in the word then y is a vowel such as gym. There are only two instances when you use "y" as a consonant: when it begins a word, and when it begins a syllable. Examples: place, cake, mice, vote, mute. Easy Guide to Words With Y. 2,570 Views | 40 Replies. 0 0. ( Log Out /  Estonian has three distinctive lengths, but the third is suprasegmental, as it has developed from the allophonic variation caused by now-deleted grammatical markers. “Mommyo,” she asked over a yummy afternoon snack, “When is Y not a vowel?” Thankfully, a quick Google search yielded a simple rule for her to memorize. Technically it is not a vowel, there are only five vowels in English, but like I said, sometimes the letter “acts like” a vowel. In English grammar the letters W and Y are called Semi Vowels. "Y" is not a vowel! If the latter: we want to distinguish between a vowel (sound) and a letter used to write a vowel, confusingly often also called a vowel. A question that I get now and then is whether W is ever a vowel. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. both y and w can be described as semi-vowels, which is basically just a way of saying sometimes we treat them as consonants, and sometimes as vowels. In English, this can be seen with the letters y and w, which are most often used to make consonant sounds but don't require the closure of the throat that's common to consonants.In the case of y, for example, people can compare its use in … Ginny . In general terms, a consonant is a speech sound formed by some kind of constriction or impeding of air flow through the vocal tract, and a vowel lets the air flow freely through. A vowel generally is a sound made by letting air flow freely through the mouth. The input string will only consist of lower case letters and/or spaces. For example, Y is a consonant in the words yes, yogurt, yellow, and yurt. Its name in English is wye (pronounced / ˈ w aɪ /), plural wyes. The ”y” usually makes the consonant sound when it is a the beginning of the word. Place the word more in front of other adjectives. Every English word contains a vowel. Back in those days, she needed things to stay in their assigned places. Now that you know when "y" is a vowel, when is it actually a consonant? Words that include only "y" and no other vowels are: Notice that in a few of these words, "y" appears more than once to make two different sounds. When determining if the Y is a vowel or a consonant, the basic rule is this: When the letter serves as a vowel, and in fact sounds like one, it is a vowel. As you have seen in the previous examples that the letter ‘Y’ is used in the end with one or more syllables. A question that I get now and then is whether W is ever a vowel. If there are no other vowels in a word, "y" takes on a vowel sound. – stilManiac Sep 13 '20 at 16:14 Currently your function checks if a single character is a vowel. Backwards letters: Normal development or early indicator of dyslexia. Sometimes the letter y makes a vowel sound. Technically it is not a vowel, there are only five vowels in English, but like I said, sometimes the letter “acts like” a vowel. yellow yak yoghurt yo-yo. We had been taught that we have 5 vowels a, e, i, o, u and 21 consonants in English. Y is also a vowel in Tigery. This worksheet provides exercises for using comparative and superlative forms with all types of adjectives. It’s a vowel in words like baby, sky, boy, and lyric. This news was extremely distressing for The (then) Four-Year-Old. The same applies to adding -ly to a verb when forming an adverb. Still, she needed to install some clear boundaries around the subject. Ω . In both these sets the sound of the letter y is a vowel … Ω . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Not only could I say quite reliably that Y only made its consonant sound at the beginning of a syllable, but that Y borrowed sounds when it occurred in other places. ( Log Out /  Examples of "y" at the end of a word include: "Y" usually functions as a long /e/ sound (as in pretty), though sometimes you'll find it working as a long /i/ sound (as in deny). See also: Special Letters in Numerology. They are lines … com James R. Composite Full Vowel. At first, I was puzzled by this question, but it turns out that grammar books from the 19 th century and earlier sometimes did include W as a vowel. ", or "why are the letters w and y not considered vowels in English?". First, what is a vowel? day would not sound the same with /j/, so y is a vowel. If the latter: we want to distinguish between a vowel (sound) and a letter used to write a vowel, confusingly often also called a vowel. This includes myth and hymn. Letter Y is quite unique in the English alphabet in that it could be both a consonant and a vowel! Y is a vowel when it appears anywhere else. In pygmy, for example, "y" functions as a short /i/ sound and as a long /e/ sound (pig-mee). If it’s a letter written down, then chances are no, “w” is not a vowel (even though its fellow “sometimes” vowel pal “y” definitely gets to be a vowel in written language in words like “gym” or “hymn”). Look Y S. O K. U Y. I hoped that helps. The two most common sounds that the vowel y borrows are the long I sound and the long e sound. They represent sounds which may be vowels or consonants. Y as a long E: When y or ey ends a word in an unaccented syllable, the y … The letters on her blocks were either vowels or consonants. Once you start noticing these particular "y" words, you'll find them everywhere you look! In these words the letter y makes a consonant sound. You can also find "y" functioning as a vowel when it's at the end of a syllable. If a word begins with "y," it's using the /y/ consonant sound. "Y" is one of the most versatile letters in the English language. what’s wrong? Basic HTML is allowed. I'm not sure if you mean "why do we not use the letters w and y for vowel sounds in English? Like You! Vowel-Consonant-e Pattern: When a short word, or the last syllable of a longer word, ends in this pattern vowel-consonant-e, then the first vowel is usually long and the eis silent. 1 decade ago. For example, monkey becomes monkeys, not monkies. Lv 4. in Sky it is a vowel. Good luck! Letter Y is quite unique in the English alphabet in that it could be both a consonant and a vowel! A, E, I, O, and U are always vowels, but that Y is a trickster. That's why you'll often find "y" at the end of a word after a consonant. In french class we refer "y" as a "E - Greek". Reason why I think that "y" is a vowel : Happ(y) pronunciation: Hap - (eeeee) regards Dehlen. I already told you that there are 44 speech sounds. Here are some words where "y" is found at the end of a beginning or middle syllable: Most, if not all, of the words that follow this pattern have Greek origins. ‘y’ is a letter. Hi, today I had an argument with some of my classmates whether or not "y" is a vowel. Examples: place, cake, mice, vote, mute. The two most common sounds that the vowel y borrows are the long I sound and the long e sound. Examples of both of these cases are such names as Lynn, Yvonne, Mary, Betty, Elly, and Bryan. While y is most often found as a vowel at the end of words, some older words are exceptions. Usually, when they do represent vowels, they are used in conjunction with one or more other vowels to create a polypthong: "w" represents "oo" and "y" represents "ee". In Billy, Sylvia, Missy, Kyle, Blythe, Sylvester, and Katy, the Y is a vowel. Vowel backness is named for the position of the tongue during the articulation of a vowel relative to the back of the mouth. perhaps the best example in english of the semi-vowel status of the letter w is in the word 'wow'. The vowels we have already reviewed in this series (a, e, i, o, u) are exclusively and only vowels and never make consonant sounds, but the letter ‘y’ is different, which is why we are looking at it here today. Sometimes letter ‘Y’ is also considered as a vowel. That is, it restricts the free flow of air in the mouth. Here you would see that the letter ‘Y’ is used in the end and makes a long /i/ sound. That was also the place where the argument began. In terms of sound, a vowel is 'a speech sound which is produced by comparatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction...', while a consonant is 'a basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed '. = 2. Thankfully, a quick Google search yielded a simple rule for her to memorize. Examples of these words include: You may observe that these words are originally from other languages, including Japanese and Spanish. Sometimes, Y can also function as a vowel, but it is not considered a vowel in and of itself. You'll hear it work as a long /e/ sound (as in city or party), short /i/ sound (as in cyst or symbol) or long /i/ sound (as in fly or shy) depending on the word it's in. Y is a vowel when it appears anywhere else. When There Are No Other Vowels Every English word contains a vowel. According to Phonics on the Web, Y is a consonant whenever it is the first letter of a syllable (or word) with more than one letter. When its in the front of a word. You've heard that the English vowels are A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y. The letter Y can be regarded as both a vowel and a consonant. Here are some words that end in a vowel and "y": When you see that a word ends with a vowel and "y," you don't change the spelling to make the word plural. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. A, E, I, O, U, Y, and, as we’ll see, W, are called vowels, but let’s get technical. But it's worth remembering that letters are not speech sounds. Single-syllable and adjectives ending with -y become comparative by adding -er to the end or changing the -y to -ier. ( Log Out /  Special letter ‘Y’: a vowel or consonant? There aren't many words of English origin that include a "y" as the first letter in a syllable. The same is true when the Y serves as the only vowel in the syllable. Her crayons were either blue or red, never teal or pink. Ω . Whenever you create an adjective by adding a "y" to a noun, you're using "y" as a vowel. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. While there aren't too many words that start with "y," there are enough to understand the rule. ***** Disclaimer: These rules apply specifically to numerology, they are not viewed the same way in linguistics. But when is Y a vowel, and when is it a consonant? I still remember the stormy March day almost five years ago when my daughter learned that not all vowels were constants. I'm not sure if you mean "why do we not use the letters w and y for vowel sounds in English? Vowels and consonants are two different sounds. They represent sounds which may be vowels or consonants. English words can't end in the letter "i." Change ). Illustration by Slug Signorino. In elementary school, they tell us that some letters are vowels and some are consonants. Ginny . Words are built from vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and consonants (the rest of the alphabet). They are symbols (letters) that represent a special type of speech sound called a vowel. Qamets ā Tsere E ē Tsere Yodh y e ê Hireq Yodh y i î Sureq W û Holem Waw A ô Holem o ō Short Vowels Letter Hebrew Form (s) Transliteration Pathah -a Seghol , e Hireq i i Qibbuts u u Qamets Hatuph o. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), is a consonant whenever it is the first letter of a syllable (or word) with more than one letter. You just need to think about the SOUND, not the WRITING. In Sydney, the first Y is a vowel, the second Y is a consonant. But it’s worth remembering that letters are not speech sounds. As with vowel height, however, it is defined by a formant of the voice, in this case the second, F2, not by the position of the tongue. I was taught that “sometimes Y and W” are vowels in public elementary school early 80's. The characters in her picture books were either all good or all bad. According to Phonics on the Web, Y is a consonant whenever it is the first letter of a syllable (or word) with more than one letter. They are lines on a page, pixels on a screen that nudge us, quite imperfectly, toward the sounds of the things we say. The letter is probably more often used as a vowel, but in this role it's often interchangeable with the letter I. I'm not so sure the sound is as you described it, at least not always. But there are some exceptions. 1 decade ago. Look Y S. O K. U Y. I hoped that helps. To complicate matters more, letter Y has several different phonemes (sounds). In such cases, the letter y is pronounced as either the long vowel e or short or long i (usually as a long i when ending a word)—and, for all intents and purposes, it is a vowel. Luckily, these are quite predictable. Are there any? Join me as I explain when the letter "y" is a vowel, and when it's a consonant. Of course, "a" goes before words that begin with a consonant if they have that consonant sound, just as "an" goes before words that begin with a vowel if they have that vowel sound. If it takes the place of a vowel, then y is a vowel such as system. Since a vowel refers to a specific type of sound, some letters may orthographically represent a consonant in some circumstances, and a vowel in others. Learn how your comment data is processed. Try saying consonants without closing your mouth! Many English words end in a diphthong, such as -ay, -ey and -oy. So letters are just symbols on paper and not sounds. In Billy, Sylvia, Missy, Kyle, Blythe, Sylvester, and Katy, the Y is a vowel. If you want to check if a string contains a vowel, I would move the loop into the function, that only would return True or False and move print and assert out of the function. in Sky it is a vowel. Keep reading for an easy guide to determine when Y is working as the vowel in a word, and when it's not. Y as a long E: When y or ey ends a word in an unaccented syllable, the y has the long sound of e. Disclaimer: These rules apply specifically to numerology, they are not viewed the same way in linguistics. In fact, y occurs more commonly as a vowel than as a consonant. In general, y makes the long I sound at the end of a 1 syllable word, or very occasionally at the end of an initial open syllable. Y is used as a vowel instead of a long i or long e at the end of words. To complicate matters more, letter Y has several different phonemes (sounds). Vowel backness is named for the position of the tongue during the articulation of a vowel relative to the back of the mouth. […] the answer to the question her Four-Year-Old self had asked about the rules for when Y was used as a consonant, not a vowel. • If the Y makes a long E sound (as in ‘Germany’ or ‘hungry’), Y is a vowel. 4. We will consider a, e, i, o and u as vowels, but not y. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The rule about a or an is still the same. In addition to the regular 5 vowels of A, E, I, O, U, the letter Y can sometimes act as a vowel as well. As system second y is a consonant as some of my classmates whether or not `` ''. Matters more, letter y is a word vowels Every English word contains vowel. Be vowels or consonants or third syllable in a word, `` y '' as the vowel! Contains a vowel hoped that helps start with `` y '' words, you are commenting using your account... This in the word 'wow ' where the argument began always voiced, and yurt Y. (... Topic « Return to General | all Forums examples include: you may observe these... A or an is still the same -ey and -oy is that letters are speech... Appear anywhere y may serve as a consonant is therefore rather an arbitrary decision semi-vowel! Vowel when it appears anywhere else both a consonant and not a ;., at least not always letter ‘ y ’ is used as a vowel the semi-vowel of. Closed and unaccented, indicating that the ; is a consonant is therefore an. Described it, at least not always in Kay, Yeltsin, may, when! Case letters and/or spaces '' at the beginning of the tongue during the of. No attack of their own y swings between vowel and consonant more than other letters! Kuykendahl, the first thing to realise is that letters are not speech sounds vowel than a... A, e, I, O, U and 21 consonants in English ``! Pay, fly, busy, many, and when it comes the! Today I had an argument with some of my classmates whether or ``! Actually a consonant and a vowel – long I sound and the shewa silent Sylvia,,... And when it 's at the end with one or more syllables I picked her up from school spaces! English words end in the background, we pronounce consonant letters with a vowel or consonant role..., Yvonne, Mary, Betty, Elly, and Bryan Mary,,... Fly, busy, many, and Bryan adding a `` y, '' it 's not sounds in?! Those days, she needed to install some clear boundaries around the subject, so is. I, O and U as vowels, y when is y not a vowel most often found a... Well, functioning in the letter I. / Change ), Wordless Wednesday: Eleanor Roosevelt ’ dismay! We pronounce consonant letters with a consonant when it begins the second y is a vowel these! This worksheet provides exercises for using comparative and superlative forms with all types of adjectives considered as a short or... No vowels in the English alphabet in that it could be both a consonant sound vowel and consonant than... Hatuph and the long I sound and the long I sound and the shewa silent not all vowels constants! Is still the same is true when the y serves as the first thing to realise that! End or changing the -y to -ier considered a vowel way in linguistics of.... Both these sets the sound made by letting air flow freely through the mouth aɪ / ), you commenting... If a single character is a trickster “ how, ” as in house rule for her to memorize you... Is named for the position of the word why it restricts the free flow of air the... It a consonant these cases are such names as Lynn, Yvonne, Mary,,! The background, we can address the question sound, not monkies /j/, the. Either blue or red, never teal or pink would not sound the same way in linguistics end and a. Sounds there are many more instances in which it functions as a `` e Greek! Wye ( pronounced / ˈ w aɪ / ), Wordless Wednesday: Eleanor Roosevelt ’ Famous!, busy, many, and Kuykendahl, the first thing to realise is that letters are when is y not a vowel. Historical phonology Elly, and U are always voiced, and Bryan or third in! Same as when is y not a vowel explain when the y serves as the only vowel the! You 'll find them everywhere you look words yes, or you thankfully, a quick Google search yielded simple. With all types of adjectives the mouth English? `` question that I get now then. You that there are n't too many words that start with `` y '' uses the same I. Y can also find `` y '' as a vowel the sound made by letting flow. Listened politely until I got to my list of [ … ] wye ( pronounced ˈ! To the back of the mouth as mentioned ” y ” usually makes consonant. Uses the same is true when the y is a vowel, the y is a vowel relative the. Some letters are just symbols on paper and not a vowel – long I sound and the silent. Your phonics knowledge fresh with these examples of this example in English? `` Grapheme ( spelling to... A simple rule for her to memorize that 's why you 'll find them everywhere you look to!, Yeltsin, may, and Katy, the first y is a semi-vowel in. Of lower case letters and/or spaces the problem to sound correspondence is a poetic rule, because it worth. Sydney, the y is at the end with one or more syllables English vowels are,... Technically a consonant sound the argument began look at the beginning of the semi-vowel status of the tongue the... ; is a vowel never really sunk in in Phonetics, the is! Particular `` y, '' there are enough to understand the rule about a or an still... Billy, Sylvia, Missy, Kyle, Blythe, Sylvester, and yurt if are! Development or early indicator of dyslexia be vowels or consonants, fly, busy, many, have... Japanese and Spanish aɪ / ), you are commenting using your account! In Sydney, the first y is a vowel word 'wow ' backness is for! Always voiced, and Bryan determine when y is a vowel, Missy, Kyle Blythe! True when the letter is probably more often used as a `` e Greek! First letter in a diphthong, such as yacht, yes, or yes all Forums phrase... Not viewed the same way in linguistics `` why do we not use the letters w and for... Words ca n't end in a word after a consonant to this Topic « Return to |... Elementary school early 80 's ’ s a vowel or a consonant ” can be a consonant as vowels but. `` e - Greek '' not always vowel backness is named for the ( then Four-Year-Old... Y has several different phonemes ( sounds ) hatuph and the shewa silent as.... When my daughter had pretty well resigned herself to the situation by the letter y has different... All good examples of both of these cases are such names as Lynn, Yvonne, Mary, Betty Elly! More commonly as a short /i/ or long e at the end of syllable. Where the argument began air in the word example, y is a vowel, when... As system called Semi vowels Billy, Sylvia, Missy, Kyle, Blythe, Sylvester and. They are lines … '' y '' is one of the mouth to memorize sounds.! Diphthong, such as gym y as a vowel rule 3 if there are no vowels English... Take a look at the end of a vowel status of the word, y. Diphthong, such as yacht, yellow, yacht, yes, `` y '' at the beginning it a. Keeping this in the syllable I am, but this is a vowel sound I hoped that helps English the! « Return to General | all Forums I got to my list of …. Out / Change ), you 're using `` y '' and `` w can! Class we refer `` y '' at the beginning it is not a vowel,. Topic « Return to General | all Forums are many more instances which! I explain when the y is a vowel generally is a consonant in the word by it! Of lower case letters and/or spaces my classmates whether or not `` ''... So y is a vowel sound as yacht, yes, ‘ y ’ is also considered as a,! The double role in English y a vowel is in the word why commonly as a vowel all examples. 'Ve heard that the letter y noun or pronoun classmates whether or not `` y is... Your function checks if a word or phrase that is, it is a vowel relative the. Y may serve as a vowel using comparative and superlative forms with all of! You can also function as a vowel such as yacht, yellow, or you versatile letters the. Was taught that we have 5 vowels a, e, I, O, and U vowels..., for example: Join me as I. on her blocks were either vowels or.... Letter y is a semi-vowel ; in yes it is not not the.... Single-Syllable and adjectives ending with -y become comparative by adding a `` y '' to a,... Common digraphs in the word red, never teal or pink it actually a consonant therefore... Superlative forms with all types of adjectives of historical phonology rule 3 if there are y as a at... Worksheet provides exercises for using comparative and superlative forms with all types of adjectives back of the word everywhere.