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Vowel

ER (Bird, Nurse)

The R-controlled vowel sound heard in words like "bird", "nurse", "learn", and "turn". This is a mid-central vowel followed by an R sound. In American English, this sound is typically rhotic (the R is pronounced).

ər
Phonetic System (Merriam-Webster):ər

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Example Words

Main Example

bird
Phonetic: bərd

Common Words

birdbərd
nursenərs
learnlərn
turntərn
firstfərst
workwərk
girlgərl
earthərth
heardhərd
wordwərd

Tongue Twister

Thirty dirty purple birds chirp and whistle. | Bert's nurse works where herbs serve birds. | The early bird serves words to worms on perfect perches. | Earnest workers search for purple shirts in dirty laundry. | Thirteen thirsty turtles hurdle over perfect ferns.

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Technical Details

  • CategoryVowel
  • VoicingVoiced
  • Place of ArticulationMid-central (with r-coloring)
  • Manner of ArticulationR-colored Vowel (Rhotic Vowel)
  • Mouth PositionThe lips are relaxed and slightly rounded. The tongue is in the middle of the mouth, neither high nor low, front nor back, with the tip slightly curled back. The jaw is in a neutral position, slightly open.