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IPA – number	321
IPA – text	ʊ
IPA – image
Entity	ʊ
X-SAMPA	U
Kirshenbaum	U
Sound sample (help·info)

The near-close near-back vowel is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet for the near-close near-back rounded vowel is ʊ. This derives from a small turned capital Ω; although officially called a small Latin letter upsilon, it bears little resemblance to the Greek upsilon and is informally called "horseshoe u" instead. The equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is U. Prior to 1989, there was an alternate IPA symbol for this sound, ɷ, called "closed omega". This symbol is no longer supported by the IPA.

Some languages may have a near-close near-back unrounded vowel (see below). However, no language is known to contrast rounding of this vowel, so the IPA has not devised a standard symbol for it.

Contents 1 Near-close near-back rounded vowel 1.1 Features 1.2 Occurrence 2 Near-close near-back unrounded vowel 2.1 Features 2.2 Occurs in 3 Near-close central rounded vowel 3.1 Features 3.2 Occurrence

• Its vowel height is near-close, which means the tongue is positioned similarly to a close vowel, but slightly less constricted.
• Its vowel backness is near-back, which means the tongue is positioned as in a back vowel, but slightly further forward in the mouth.
• Its vowel roundedness is rounded, which means that the lips are rounded. However, no language is known to contrast rounding this place of articulation, so the IPA symbol has not devised separate symbols.

Language		Word	IPA	Meaning	Notes
English		hook	[hʊ̜k]	'hook'	May be only slightly rounded. See English phonology
Faroese		hvalur	[kvɛalʊɹ]	'whale'
French	Quebec	foule	[fʊl]	'crowd'	See French phonology
German		schutz	[ʃʊts]	'protection'	See German phonology
Russian		сухой	[sʊˈxo̞j]	'dry'	See Russian phonology
Swedish		ort	[ʊʈ] (help·info)	'(geographic) place'	See Swedish phonology

The near-close near-back unrounded vowel may be transcribed with the symbol for a close back unrounded vowel with the mid-centralizing diacritic, [ɯ̽].

• Its vowel height is near-close, which means the tongue is positioned similarly to a close vowel, but slightly less constricted.
• Its vowel backness is near-back, which means the tongue is positioned as in a back vowel, but slightly further forward in the mouth.
• Its vowel roundedness is unrounded, which means that the lips are not rounded.

• European Portuguese: pegar [pɯ̽ˈgaɾ], 'to hold'. The unstressed e of European Portuguese is sometimes transcribed as [ə], even though it is not a mid central unrounded vowel. Nevertheless, it is a schwa in the broad sense of being 'an unstressed and toneless neutral vowel'.

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Close central rounded vowel. (Discuss)

The near-close central rounded vowel is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The International Phonetic Alphabet can represent this sound as < ʊ̈ > (centralized ʊ) or < ʉ̞ > (lowered ʉ).

• Its vowel height is near-close, which means the tongue is positioned similarly to a close vowel, but slightly less constricted.
• Its vowel backness is central, which means the tongue is positioned halfway between a front vowel and a back vowel.
• Its vowel roundedness is rounded, which means that the lips are rounded.

This occurs in some English dialects as a reduced form of the vowel /uː/. (See Unstressed and reduced vowels in English.)

Language		Word	IPA	Meaning	Notes
English		euphoria	[jʊ̈ˈfɔəɹiə]	'euphoria'	See English phonology

Recently the OED has adopted an unofficial extension of the IPA, ʊ, that is a conflation of ʊ and ʉ, for this sound or for free variation between [ʊ] and [ə].