semivowel
noun [ C ] phonetics specialized uk/ˈsem.iˌvaʊ.əl/ us/ˈsem.iˌvaʊ.əl/
半母音，半元音
a speech sound that is produced like a vowel but that functions as a consonant
The words "yes" and "well" start with semivowels. "Yes"和"well"这两个词都是以半元音开头的。
Semivowels are glides like /w/ and /j/ that act as part of a diphthong. 半元音是像/w/和/j/这样的滑音，作为双元音的一部分。
- More examples
- Either the first or the second vowel will be treated as a semivowel.
- The combination of semivowel plus vowel e.g. [je] is a rising diphthong.
- A semivowel is a gliding sound in which the speech organs start at or near a close vowel and immediately move away to some other vowel.