Why is Y sometimes a vowel?

Answer 1

There's a tricky procedure to why the Y is sometimes a vowel. The English alphabet contains 5 vowels, which is A, E, I, O, and U and 21 consonants, which are the remaining letters. Vowels are used very commonly because they serve as a nucleus of a syllable. Many consonants are also commonly used, but there are some rejections with the sound. There are something called consonant blends, which are when consonant pairs blend together without a vowel between. Many consonants can also end the syllable, but there are 3 consonants that can't end a certain syllable by itself, which is H, W and Y. Let's try to connect with the rejection sound point. Let's try with H, nope, the H doesn't work out for several reasons. Firstly, there are many words that H is being used. Secondly, H is already being used for making consonant digraphs, therefore we can't use H. Let's try with W, nope, the W doesn't work out for several reasons. Firstly, there are many words that W is being used, and W is quite common in prepositions, and the same prepositional words or phrases are being used again very frequently. Secondly, W can be put into a beginning consonant blends like "DW", "SW", and "TW", therefore we can't use W. Let's try with Y, yes, the Y works out for several reasons. Firstly, there's only a few words that Y is being used like yellow, yes, yell, yarn, yearn, year, yard, yonder, mayor, layer, player, beyond, etc. Secondly, Y can't be put into a consonant digraph. Thirdly, Y can't be put into a consonant blend, so the following letters tends to be a vowel. The Y doesn't have many points which help retain their consonant stay, so the Y is rejected and it sometimes behave like a vowel, so the Y can be used. They wanted to make better use, so Y is sometimes a vowel.

The other thing is the gap between the vowels. This is the order of vowels in the English alphabet:

A-1

E-5

I-9

O-15

U-21

Here's a difference point. Between the A and E, there's a 4 consonants gap. Between the E and I, there a 4 consonants gap. Between the I and O, there's a 6 consonants gap. Between the O and U, there's a 6 consonant gap.

This is the order of Unending Syllable Consonants or USC in the English alphabet:

H-8

W-23

Y-25

The H is 8 and it squeezes the gap together. H is consecutively next to I, which is a vowel, so H can't be used. The W is 23 and it doesn't squeeze between, but after the U, there's only 2 letters difference, so it slightly squeeze that point, so W can't used. There should be quite enough space before the next vowel occurs. The Y is 25 and it doesn't squeeze the gap between, and after the U, there's a 4 letters difference, so it doesn't squeeze much that point, so Y can be used a semi-vowel.

Answer 2

The letter Y is sometimes considered a vowel when it produces a vowel sound, such as in words like "myth" or "gym." It can also function as a consonant in words like "yellow" or "yes."