Topic-134: Comparing Primary VS Secondary Cardinal Vowels As discussed in Topic 133, the secondary cardinal vowels are easy to understand in connection with primary cardinal vowel system. Remember that secondary cardinal vowels from 9 toy are the rounded counterparts of primary cardinal vowels from 1 to 5 i, ea. Similarly, secondary cardinal vowels from 14 to 16 (ʌ, ɤ, ɯ) are the unrounded equivalents of primary cardinal vowels from 6 too, u respectively. Two further cardinal vowels (17 and 18 symbolized by [ɨ] and [ʉ]) represent the highest point at the center where the tongue can possibly reach. The entire vowel system (of human languages) is usually shown in the form of the cardinal vowel diagram (resembling human tongue and divided into eight corners) or cardinal vowel quadrilateral. The aim is to give an approximate configuration of the degree and direction of tongue movement involved in the vowel production. These diagrams have been successfully used for the description of vowel system available in the dialect and languages of the world.
