Which of the following describes the dimensions of vowel position?

The correct answer focuses on the key aspects that determine vowel qualities. Vowel sounds are primarily distinguished by the position of the tongue within the mouth. This is assessed through tongue height (whether the tongue is high, mid, or low in the mouth) and tongue backness (whether the tongue is towards the front or back of the mouth).

Additionally, tension indicates the degree of muscular effort used to produce the vowel, which can also affect its acoustic quality—some vowels are produced with tense tongue muscles, while others are produced with more relaxed muscles. Lip rounding, which refers to whether the lips are rounded or unrounded during the production of the vowel, adds another dimension that significantly impacts the sound quality of vowels.

These three dimensions—tongue position (height and backness), tension, and lip rounding—are fundamental to understanding vowel production and categorizing vowel sounds in phonetics.