Form without content The German vowel-system against the backdrop of Slavic vowel inventories

Abstract

Usually almost all German vowels are supposed to build pairs. But the
underlying assumptions are wrong: These pairs are not connected by
quantity correlation like in some Slavic languages and others, they are
not situated within the same vowel chart section, their formants F1,
F2 are not very close to each other, they are not linked by a process
of mid-centralizing, the partners are not the same exept one of them
being weaker than the other. The only reasons for arranging them in
pairs are the early influences of script and Latin grammar.