The symbol is called a “schwa” (pronounced
Click on the sample words to listen to the sound files. The letter pronounced as a schwa is in bold.
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schwa | vowel | examples | ||
a | about ( |
capable (keIp |
sofa (s |
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e | enemy ( |
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i | incredible (Ikr |
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o | oppose ( |
gallop (g |
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u | focus (f |
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y | vinyl (v |
Note: when a word ends with (consonant + l + e), the sound of the (l+e) is actually a schwa + l sound (–
schwa | examples |
noodle | |
uncle | |
apple | |
incredible | |
puzzle |
Related lessons:
I have a very specific question about the schwa in words like noodle, uncle, puzzle, etc. When transcribing these words into IPA, should I put the schwa in at the end followed by an /l/, or should I omit the schwa and put an /l/ with a little dash underneath it? With syllabic consonants, can the schwa be omitted? Which was is more accurate?
I don’t know anything about “an /l/ with a little dash underneath it,” but in IPA, words like that omit the schwa, for example [noodl].