next word begins with a vowel. For example, the word ('two') is pronounced in isolation or before a consonant-initial word (deux jours → 'two days'), but in deux ans (→ 'two years'), the linking or liaison consonant is pronounced. Vowels Standard French contrasts up to 13 oral vowels and up to 4 nasal vowels. The schwa (in the center of the diagram next to this paragraph) is not necessarily a distinctive sound. Even though it often merges with one of the mid front rounded vowels, its patterning suggests that it is a separate phoneme (see the subsection Schwa below). The table below primarily lists vowels in contemporary Parisian French, with vowels only present in other dialects in parentheses. While some dialects feature a long distinct from and a distinction between an open front and an open back , Parisian French features only and just one open vowel realised as central . Some dialects also feature a rounded , which has merged with in Paris. In French French, while is phonologically distinct, its phonetic quality tends to coincide with either or . Close vowels In contrast with the mid vowels, there is no tense–lax contrast in close vowels. However, non-phonemic lax (near-close) appear in Quebec as allophones of when the vowel is both phonetically short (so not before ) and in a closed syllable, so that e.g. petite 'small ()' differs from petit 'small ()' not only in the presence of the final but also in the tenseness of the . Laxing always occurs in stressed closed syllables, but it is also found in other environments to various degrees. In French French, are consistently close , but the exact height of is somewhat debatable as it has been variously described as close and near-close . Mid vowels Although the mid vowels contrast in certain environments, there is a limited distributional overlap so they often appear in complementary distribution. Generally, close-mid vowels () are found in open syllables, and open-mid vowels () are found in closed syllables. However, there are minimal pairs: open-mid and close-mid contrast in final-position open syllables: ('was going'), vs. ('gone'); likewise, open-mid and contrast with close-mid and mostly in closed monosyllables, such as these: ('young'), vs. ('fast', verb), ('rock'), vs. ('hoarse'), ('Rhodes'), vs. ('[I] lurk'), ('Paul', masculine), vs. ('Paule', feminine), ('good', feminine), vs. ('Beaune', the city). Beyond the general rule, known as the loi de position among French