<p>具体说来，人的发音机制，大抵为肺部产生气压，由流体力学原理，声带周期性开合形成周期性<strong>声门波</strong>，经过声道调制形成输出声波。</p>

<p>这个过程可以视为<strong>脉冲幅度调制</strong>，即<strong>周期冲激信号</strong>经过<strong>成形滤波</strong>后再通过<strong>幅度调制</strong>系统。</p>

<p>对最终的声波行<strong>短时傅立叶变换</strong>，并将窗长取较大值（一般在两个<strong>基音周期</strong>以上）使频域波形<strong>混叠</strong>，能够得到每次变换时刻的声音<strong>频谱</strong>，将之作于横轴为时间，纵轴为频率，颜色深浅为幅度的图中，由于混叠假设，能够形成纵带状图样。</p>

<p>元音之分别，即在于其幅度<strong>谱包络</strong>之形状，以峰值表征，并循增序排列，将其<strong>共振峰</strong>标记为f1，f2（当然可能还有f3，f4等，但由人类听觉特别敏感的频率大约在几百至三千赫兹，所以频率更高的峰意义不如之前重大），以此为横纵坐标作图即得到你看到的图。</p>

<p>另外值得注意的是，除非有超强的绝对音感，想要听出共振峰的频率是不可能的；另外即便知道共振峰的分布，人（一般）不具有精确主观调动肌肉改变声带调制特性的能力——也即，以上的图并不能直接指导发音，顶多只是记录罢了。</p>

<p>The scientific terms are in bold font... If you are interested you may google them.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T23:30:12.613Z
Your writing style isn't like the mainstream of modern Chinese.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-28T04:52:47.970Z
術語用多的時候，可否提供些維基鏈接，提升答案的易讀性？
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-28T15:04:04.740Z
@droooze Sorry for that, because I learned it in class, here I just write down what I know......
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-28T15:07:15.873Z
It's hard to understand the whole graph without adequate math knowledge... In other words, I cannot decide put what links in my answer...
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T15:46:46.800Z
2019-11-28T15:12:29.883Z
2019-11-28T15:12:29.883Z
Toosky Hierot
<p>In pronouncing any given vowel, the recorded <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrogram" rel="nofollow noreferrer">frequency spectrum</a> will show distinct amplitude peaks (of the frequency spectrum). These peaks are called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formant" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>formants</em></a>, and it is commonly accepted that the two lowest frequency formants taken together are enough to characterise the vowel.</p>
<p>The <strong>first formant</strong> <em>F<sub>1</sub></em> is the lowest frequency formant, and the <strong>second formant</strong> <em>F<sub>2</sub></em> is the second lowest frequency formant, etc.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/GZnhC.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GZnhC.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><em>Spectrogram of American English vowels [i, u, ɑ] showing the formants F1 and F2. The darkness of the band corresponds to the height of the amplitude/frequency plot; darkest areas show local peaks. From <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formant#/media/File:Spectrogram_-iua-.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formant#/media/File:Spectrogram_-iua-.png</a></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <em>F<sub>1</sub></em> frequency (range) corresponds to the perceived <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel#Height" rel="nofollow noreferrer">openness/height</a> of the vowel, and the <em>F<sub>2</sub></em> frequency (range) corresponds to the perceived <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel#Backness" rel="nofollow noreferrer">backness</a> of the vowel.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/KrngK.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/KrngK.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><em>Wikipedia IPA vowel chart</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>To demonstrate the effect of the <em>F<sub>1</sub></em> and <em>F<sub>2</sub></em> components on vowels, you can use artificial vowel generators which take these parameters to produce audible vowels, e.g. <a href="http://auditoryneuroscience.com/vocalizations-speech/two-formants" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://auditoryneuroscience.com/vocalizations-speech/two-formants</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As an example, consider the</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chengdu</a> /o/ sound, which the graph says is at <em>F<sub>1</sub></em> ≈ 440, <em>F<sub>2</sub></em> ≈ 600 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hz</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pengzhou" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pengzhou</a> /o/ sound, which the graph says is at <em>F<sub>1</sub></em> ≈ 550, <em>F<sub>2</sub></em> ≈ 875 Hz</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The corresponding artificial vowels are (unmute the audio in the imgur image)</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/CKbSh.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chengdu</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/pKnA4.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pengzhou</a></p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><em>Produced from auditoryneuroscience.com with a fundamental frequency of 110 Hz</em></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-28T15:23:29.537Z
Your answer is great with the images and the audios! As you can see in the graph, the vertical straps correspond to the amplitude frequency spectrum. The darker its color, the stronger its amplitude. The graph is acquired through Short Time Fourier Transformation.
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-28T15:35:00.257Z
@TooskyHierot thank you, you're right that I should mention the darkness of the bands as corresponding to the peaks. This is not obvious to a non-engineering or science person.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-28T06:36:18.037Z
2019-11-28T15:36:37.593Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
dROOOze
<p>I've come across a couple of vowel diagrams. Here one:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lxqxV.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lxqxV.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Here's another:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/AGrOa.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/AGrOa.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm not really sure how to interpenetrate these charts. Any ideas?</p>

<phonology>
How to read these vowel diagrams?
# How to read these vowel diagrams?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-27)

I've come across a couple of vowel diagrams. Here one:

> [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/lxqxV.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/lxqxV.png)

Here's another:

> [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/AGrOa.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/AGrOa.png)

I'm not really sure how to interpenetrate these charts. Any ideas?

**Tags:** phonology


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-11-28. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

In pronouncing any given vowel, the recorded [frequency spectrum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrogram) will show distinct amplitude peaks (of the frequency spectrum). These peaks are called [*formants*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formant), and it is commonly accepted that the two lowest frequency formants taken together are enough to characterise the vowel.

The **first formant** *F1* is the lowest frequency formant, and the **second formant** *F2* is the second lowest frequency formant, etc.

> [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/GZnhC.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/GZnhC.png)
>
> *Spectrogram of American English vowels [i, u, ɑ] showing the formants F1 and F2. The darkness of the band corresponds to the height of the amplitude/frequency plot; darkest areas show local peaks. From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formant#/media/File:Spectrogram_-iua-.png>*

The *F1* frequency (range) corresponds to the perceived [openness/height](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel#Height) of the vowel, and the *F2* frequency (range) corresponds to the perceived [backness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel#Backness) of the vowel.

> [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/KrngK.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/KrngK.png)
>
> *Wikipedia IPA vowel chart*

To demonstrate the effect of the *F1* and *F2* components on vowels, you can use artificial vowel generators which take these parameters to produce audible vowels, e.g. <http://auditoryneuroscience.com/vocalizations-speech/two-formants>.

> As an example, consider the
>
> * [Chengdu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu) /o/ sound, which the graph says is at *F1* ≈ 440, *F2* ≈ 600 [Hz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hertz)
> * [Pengzhou](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pengzhou) /o/ sound, which the graph says is at *F1* ≈ 550, *F2* ≈ 875 Hz
>
> The corresponding artificial vowels are (unmute the audio in the imgur image)
>
> * [Chengdu](https://i.sstatic.net/CKbSh.jpg)
> * [Pengzhou](https://i.sstatic.net/pKnA4.jpg)
>
> ---
>
> *Produced from auditoryneuroscience.com with a fundamental frequency of 110 Hz*

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your answer is great with the images and the audios! As you can see in the graph, the vertical straps correspond to the amplitude frequency spectrum. The darker its color, the stronger its amplitude. The graph is acquired through Short Time Fourier Transformation.  
> **username_3**: @TooskyHierot thank you, you're right that I should mention the darkness of the bands as corresponding to the peaks. This is not obvious to a non-engineering or science person.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-27. Score: 2

具体说来，人的发音机制，大抵为肺部产生气压，由流体力学原理，声带周期性开合形成周期性**声门波**，经过声道调制形成输出声波。

这个过程可以视为**脉冲幅度调制**，即**周期冲激信号**经过**成形滤波**后再通过**幅度调制**系统。

对最终的声波行**短时傅立叶变换**，并将窗长取较大值（一般在两个**基音周期**以上）使频域波形**混叠**，能够得到每次变换时刻的声音**频谱**，将之作于横轴为时间，纵轴为频率，颜色深浅为幅度的图中，由于混叠假设，能够形成纵带状图样。

元音之分别，即在于其幅度**谱包络**之形状，以峰值表征，并循增序排列，将其**共振峰**标记为f1，f2（当然可能还有f3，f4等，但由人类听觉特别敏感的频率大约在几百至三千赫兹，所以频率更高的峰意义不如之前重大），以此为横纵坐标作图即得到你看到的图。

另外值得注意的是，除非有超强的绝对音感，想要听出共振峰的频率是不可能的；另外即便知道共振峰的分布，人（一般）不具有精确主观调动肌肉改变声带调制特性的能力——也即，以上的图并不能直接指导发音，顶多只是记录罢了。

The scientific terms are in bold font... If you are interested you may google them.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Your writing style isn't like the mainstream of modern Chinese.  
> **username_3**: 術語用多的時候，可否提供些維基鏈接，提升答案的易讀性？  
> **username_1**: @droooze Sorry for that, because I learned it in class, here I just write down what I know......  
> **username_1**: It's hard to understand the whole graph without adequate math knowledge... In other words, I cannot decide put what links in my answer...  

---

