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The sounds of Bamum

The 10 vowels

Bamum distinguishes ten vowel qualities, including ɯ and ʉ, unknown in English.

Shüpamom distinguishes ten vowel qualities: eight full vowels /i u ʉ e o ɛ ɔ a/, plus ə and ɯ, which mostly serve as support vowels.

Two of them exist in neither English nor French, and deserve your attention:

ʉ

High, central, rounded. Say "ee" while rounding your lips as for "oo". It is the ü of shüpamom.

ɯ

High, back, unrounded. Say "oo" but keep your lips spread. You hear it in m͡bɯ́ɯ́m "money".

📏 Length is not distinctive in Bamum: vɯ́ɯ́t and vɯ́t do not contrast by duration. However ɯ can be lengthened, unlike ə.