What’s the difference between hard vowels and soft vowels in Russian?

Question

In Russian, students often hear terms like 'hard vowels' and 'soft vowels,' which can be confusing. These terms actually relate to the palatalization of the preceding consonant rather than the vowels themselves, similar to the hard sign and the soft sign.

Answer 1

In Russian phonology, the terms 'hard vowels' and 'soft vowels' are often used in teaching but can be misleading. Vowels themselves are not inherently 'hard' or 'soft.' Instead, this distinction reflects how these vowels interact with the consonants that precede them and whether they indicate palatalization (softening).

1. Hard (Non-Palatalized) and Soft (Palatalized) Consonants

1. Russian consonants are categorized as hard (non-palatalized) or soft (palatalized).
2. A hard consonant is produced without raising the middle of the tongue toward the hard palate (e.g., [м] in 'мама').
3. A soft consonant is produced with the tongue raised toward the hard palate, adding a 'y-like' quality (e.g., [мʲ] in 'мясо').

Examples:

1. 'мя' in 'мясо' ([мʲa]): The 'я' signals that the preceding 'м' is soft (palatalized).
2. 'ма' in 'мама' ([ма]): The 'а' indicates that the 'м' is hard (non-palatalized).

2. When Soft Vowels Begin a Syllable or Follow a Sign

1. The so-called soft vowels (я, ё, е, ю, и) palatalize the preceding consonant only when preceded by a consonant.
2. However, when these vowels begin a syllable or follow a hard sign (ъ) or soft sign (ь), they are pronounced with the consonantal semivowel й (и краткое) at the start. This explains why they do not palatalize in these cases.

Examples:

1. 'я' in 'язык' ([jaˈzɨk]): The vowel starts the syllable with the semivowel [j].
2. 'е' in 'объект' ([ɐbˈjɛkt]): The soft vowel follows the hard sign (ъ) and is pronounced with the semivowel [j].
3. 'ю' in 'вьюга' ([vʲˈjuɡə]): The soft vowel follows the soft sign (ь) and begins with [j].

This shows that the presence or absence of a preceding consonant determines whether the soft vowel triggers palatalization or starts with the semivowel.

3. Consonants Always Hard or Soft

1. While most Russian consonants can be either hard or soft depending on the following vowel, some consonants are exceptions:
2. Always hard: ш, ц
3. Always soft: щ, ч
4. These consonants remain unaffected by the vowels that follow them.