The close central rounded vowel, or high central rounded vowel, is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨ʉ⟩, and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is ⟨}⟩. The IPA symbol is the letter ⟨u⟩ with a horizontal bar. Both the symbol and the sound are commonly referred to as "barred u".
The IPA prefers terms "close" and "open" for vowels, and the name of the article follows this. However, a large number of linguists, perhaps a majority, prefer the terms "high" and "low", and these are the only terms found in introductory textbooks on phonetics such as those by Peter Ladefoged.
In most languages this rounded vowel is pronounced with protruded lips (endolabial). However, in a few cases the lips are compressed (exolabial).
There is also a near-close central rounded vowel in some languages.
Read more about Close Central Rounded Vowel: Close Central Compressed Vowel
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“It’s easy to forget how central the French people are in everything we mean when we say Europe.”
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“Brute animals have the vowel sounds; man only can utter consonants.”
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)