Schwa

/ʃwɑː/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The mid-central vowel sound represented by the symbol 'ə' in the International Phonetic Alphabet, commonly found in unstressed syllables.

In the word 'banana', the first 'a' is pronounced with a schwa.

A vowel sound that occurs in many languages in unstressed syllables, often represented by an 'e', 'a', or 'o' in English.

Many English learners struggle to recognize the schwa sound, which appears frequently in casual speech.

The most central position in the vowel space, typically represented by the phonetic symbol [ə].

The color of the schwa in a phonetics chart indicates the neutral position of the vowel.

A type of reduction that occurs in unstressed syllables where a full vowel is replaced by the schwa sound.

In rapid speech, the word 'chocolate' is often pronounced with a schwa in the second syllable.

The term derives from the Hebrew word 'שווא' (shva), which means 'emptiness.'

schwa sound

The vowel sound represented by the symbol [ə] in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

schwa syllable

A syllable that contains a schwa sound and is typically unstressed.

vowel

A speech sound made by the vocal cords without any closure in the vocal tract.

unstressed

Not given emphasis in pronunciation.

When someone mispronounces a word by using a schwa incorrectly.

He pulled a schwa by saying 'libary' instead of 'library.'

Referring to a sound that is difficult to articulate or unclear.

That word has too many schwas, I can't figure out how to say it.