The Pronunciation of the Schwa
An Acoustic Analysis of Gender Inclusivity in Spoken Italian
Abstract
In Italian, the schwa has spread to encode gender beyond the binary, yet /ə/ is not part of the standard phonemic inventory. This study addresses the recurring unpronounceability argument by focusing on acoustic vowel distance. Drawing on 10 interpreters’ production of words containing the mid-central vowel (/ə/; n=205) and vowels most likely to replace it (/a/, /ɛ/, /e/, /ɔ/, /o/; n=925), we conducted an acoustic analysis via Pillai scores (z-normalized F1-F2) and a mixed-effects model of Euclidean distances from the space center. Results show that /ə/ is produced as a distinct sound with higher centralization than standard Italian vowels.
Submitted: April 30, 2026 | Accepted: July 5, 2026 | Published Oct. 12, 2026 | Language: en
Keywords Non-binary gender • Orality • Gender-inclusive language • Schwa • Acoustic analysis • Spoken Italian
Copyright © 2026 Igor Facchini, Valeria Galimberti. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.