How would you classify the "ɔ" sound?

The "ɔ" sound, known as the open-mid back rounded vowel, is classified primarily by its articulatory features. This sound is categorized as open-mid due to the position of the tongue during its production. Specifically, the tongue is positioned halfway between an open vowel (like "a") and a close vowel (like "i").

In terms of vowel classification, open-mid vowels involve the jaw dropping and the tongue being relatively low in the mouth compared to close vowels, which are produced with the tongue elevated. The rounded quality indicates the lips are also rounded during production, but this does not directly influence whether the sound is categorized as open or close.

The descriptors "lax" and "tense" refer to the muscular tension and duration of the vowel sound, where tense vowels require more tension and are often longer in duration than lax vowels. However, "ɔ" is typically considered a lax vowel in certain contexts, although the primary classification focuses on its open-mid positioning. Therefore, identifying "ɔ" as an open sound is accurate given its articulatory characteristics.