ɜː
Vowel
/ɜː/ — Long open-mid central vowel
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| bird | /ˈbɝd/ | /bɜːd/ |
| nurse | /ˈnɝs/ | /nɜːs/ |
| word | /ˈwɝd/ | /ˈwɜːd/ |
| first | /ˈfɝst/ | /fɜːst/ |
| learn | /ˈlɝn/ | /lɜːn/ |
| turn | /ˈtɝn/ | /tɜːn/ |
| earth | /ˈɝθ/ | /ɜːθ/ |
| world | /ˈwɝld/ | /wɜːld/ |
| early | /ˈɝli/ | /ɜːli/ |
| hurt | /ˈhɝt/ | /hɜːt/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English. /ɜː/ appears only in the UK English transcriptions; the US English dictionary writes these words with another symbol.
How to produce this sound
SoundLong open-mid central vowel.
TongueHold the tongue body at a mid height and avoid drifting up or down. Keep the tongue body centered, avoiding strong front/back pull.
LipsKeep lips neutral or lightly spread; avoid accidental rounding.
JawUse a mid jaw opening and keep it steady.
VoiceKeep voicing continuous and even through the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /ɜː/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- word/ˈwɜːd/ward/wɔːd/
- hurt/hɜːt/heart/hɑːt/
- shirt/ʃɜːt/short/ʃɔːt/
Spelling patterns
- ir as in bird
- ur as in nurse
- or as in word
- ear as in learn
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