Combining Left Tack Below

Type the base symbol first, then the ATR advancing sign. In e̘ (e with left tack below), the IPA vowel symbol e carries this mark to show advanced tongue root (ATR): the tongue root moves forward, widening the space behind it.

The history of the advanced tongue-root feature predates Unicode. Linguist Kenneth Pike described the relevant articulation in African vowels in 1947, and J. M. Stewart used the term “Advanced Tongue-Root” in 1967. This feature helps record pronunciation contrasts, including vowel harmony, where vowels in a word share a feature.

Why does the tack rotate?

The paired tack marks encode opposite tongue-root settings. Earlier IPA materials used related tack forms for fronting and retraction. The 1989 Kiel report recommended opposite-facing marks for advanced and retracted tongue root: ̘ marks advanced; ̙ marks retracted.

̟ and ̠ are separate IPA marks for ordinary fronting and backing; they do not replace the advanced/retracted tongue-root contrast. Read the transcription convention, not just the tack's shape.

How can I enter ̘ without splitting it?

Enter the base sound symbol first, then add the mark. This is how to type the ATR advancing sign in a Unicode-aware editor or HTML: put ̘ after e to form e̘.

A mark that sits too low or crowds its base is a rendering quirk, not a different phonetic value. Font metrics and small text size can shift it or cause collisions; use a font with phonetic diacritic support when placement matters.