Universal #688

Legacy number: 688

 Number  685
 Original  All languages have the place distinctions of high and low and of front and back in their vowel systems; hence vowel systems minimally include /i, a, u/.
 Standardized  All languages have the place distinctions of high and low and of front and back in their vowel systems; hence vowel systems minimally include /i, a, u/.
 Keywords  vowel, high, low, front, back
 Domain  phonology
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic
 Quality  almost absolute
 Basis  sample of 209 languages in Crothers 1978
 Source  Crothers 1978, cited in Holenstein 1985: 124

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Discussion
Counterexamples
Some Caucasian languages have only two vowel phonemes, with the single place distinction being high and low.
Notes
1. See discussions of Kabardian (NW Caucasian), which has been claimed not to have any phonological vowel contrast.2. Cf. #1845.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. See discussions of Kabardian (NW Caucasian), which has been claimed not to have any phonological vowel contrast.

2. Cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1845"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">