Every word in English has vowels though some argue that words like sky do not have a vowel. The letter Y is an issue of is it a vowel or is it not a vowel. The reason why there is a vowel in every word is because having too many consonant sounds in a row is very difficult for English speakers to say. An example of this would be strengths. This is one word that has five consonants in a row, but not every letter is pronounced which is why it isn’t too hard for English speakers to pronounce. For this very reason there are very few words in English that have more than one consonant in a row. Yet, languages like Polish have much longer strings of consonants but still have vowels.
There is another Issue to consider with saying that every word has a vowel. Some argue that hmm, shh, psst, ect., are words while some disagree. If those are considered words then there are words without vowels. But if they are words then this whole post and research is useless and there are words in English that do not have vowels. Those are not hard to say but sometimes if you say them when talking to people a little awkward or weird because it’s not something, at least for me, that is said often. I tend to bump people to get attention or say their name, when I shush people I tell them to be quiet, and when I think I pause I don't make many sounds I just look off at nothing.
Some other facts that I find interesting, about languages that are from my sources. The language with the largest Alphabet is Khmer, the shortest is Rotokas, which is also the language with the fewest sounds, and fewest consonant sounds with having only 6. The one with the most sounds is !Xóõ. English is the most widely published language. Final fact is that the language with the most consonant sounds is Ubyx with 81 consonants.
Is Y a vowel?
Are things like hmm, shh, and psst words?
Sources
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/540/handouts/ussr/kabardn.html#:~:text=The%20idea%20that%20languages%20without,isn't%20any%20such%20thing.
Replies
i think Y is a vowel. It is in the vowel song, and i learned in 3rd grade that Y is a vowel. i think words like hmm, shh, and psst, are words becuase i see them in books all the time, why would people put non-word words into a book? that would just be rIdiculous.
I think that Y can sometimes be classified as a vowel just depends on the word and how you use it. i dont think it is a vowel if "a,e,i,o,u" are in the word but if the world is fly then yeah it can be considered a vowel
I have been always taught that Y is sometimes a vowel. So to me Y can be a vowel, but most of the time it is not. I think that hmm, shh, and psst are not words they are representing noises. I think this because someone doesn't use these when talking to someone.
Since i have been in preschool, i was always told "a,e,i,o" and u are vowels and depending on the word "y" can be a vowel. I think that they are not words, I think they are, onomatopoeias, a onomatopoeia is a word describing a noise witch those words are.
I think that the letter "Y" can be used in place of a vowel, but not classified as one. Words like "sky," needs to be classified as a vowel to be considered a word in the English language. I do not think that the words you listed such as "psst", and "hmm" are just noises we make to express feelings.
But if they aren't vowels they are consonants so in other words is Y a consonant? So Y can be a vowel or not a vowel? If words aren't words because that is noises used to express feelings and they aren't words then that would mean that there are not words without vowels.
I think that Y can be considered a vowel depending on which word is it on and how is it pronounced. Sometimes it is pronounced just the same as the letter I. I don't think that things like hmm, shh or psst are words, I would consider them a sound.
I think that Y is a vowel because in some words it can be used as one. In elementry we were taught the song "A E I O U and sometimes Y because it can be part or a word. It doesnt always have to be in a word or a vowel in a word but as the song say it can sometimes.
But why is it just sometimes a Y? Why isn't it always a vowel? I do not understand why it is just sometimes a vowel, why can't it just always be a vowel? But I guess that the song wouldn't work if Y was a vowel but they made a new alphabet song so they can make a new vowel song.
I think y is a vowel, I used to sing "A E I O U and sometimes Y, they are the vowels" not in every case Y is a vowel, but in some cases yes. I also think "ahh and shhh and pst are words, we can make them with our mouth. It would be like saying BANG isn't a word.
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