On 'Calabrian' System
The Qenya Phonology provides a few notes on pronunciation:
PE12/8-9
- ĭ, as in English pit, is open but ī is close ...
- ĕ was open and ē somewhat closer ...
- ā is slightly farther back (like a in English part) ...
- ŏ is open, ō medium close ...
- ŭ open, but not so open as in English put, being rounder. ū close round.
The continued existence of such difference is hinted by this note in TQ2:
PE18/83
The situation in CQ is not known, but certainly in Eldarin the long vowels ī, ē, ō, ū tended to be tenser and narrower than the short vowels ĭ, ĕ, ŏ, ŭ.
which is taken here to ultimately support the 'Calabrian' system as the pronunciation system of choice.
On ɛ — e and ɔ — o Mergers
AppE (I)
long é and ó were, when correctly pronounced, as by the Eldar, tenser and 'closer' than the short vowels.
PE19/106
- CE open ę̄ and close ē became merged in ē.
- CE open ǭ and close ō became merged in ō.
- These sounds Q ē, ō were and remained of middle quality, neither very tense and close nor very slack and open.