How now brown cow

"How now brown cow" (/ˈhaʊ ˈnaʊ ˈbraʊn ˈkaʊ/) is a phrase used in elocution teaching to demonstrate rounded vowel sounds.[1] Each "ow" in the phrase represents the diphthong /aʊ/. English orthography also uses the homophonic spelling "ou" to represent this diphthong in words like "noun" and "cloud". The use of the phrase "how now brown cow" in teaching elocution can be traced back to at least 1926.[2]

Vowel diagram for English diphthongs including /aʊ/, charting tongue height and position during articulation

The phrase how now itself is an archaic greeting or interrogative expression.[3]

References
  1. Wise, Jessie; Buffington, Sara (2004). The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press. pp. 203. ISBN 978-09-72860-31-4.
  2. Bagley, Louie: "Elocution do's and dont's", Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1926
  3. "How now | WordReference Forums". 4 February 2014.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.