The The articulation of articulation of

consonantsconsonants

In order to articulate a In order to articulate a consonant we should consonant we should

consider the following:consider the following: In the human larynx there are two In the human larynx there are two

flaps of elastic, connective tissue know flaps of elastic, connective tissue know as as vocal cords, which can open and vocal cords, which can open and close close which produce the soundwhich produce the sound

Consonants can be Consonants can be voicedvoiced or or unvoicedunvoiced (voiceless) i.e. a sound is voiced when (voiceless) i.e. a sound is voiced when the vocal cords are open and unvoiced the vocal cords are open and unvoiced when the vocal cords are close and the when the vocal cords are close and the air which passes makes them vibrate.air which passes makes them vibrate.

Consonants are formed by Consonants are formed by interrupting, restricting or diverting interrupting, restricting or diverting the airflow in a variety of ways.the airflow in a variety of ways.There three ways of describing the There three ways of describing the consonant sounds:consonant sounds:

The manner of The manner of articulationarticulation

The place of articulationThe place of articulationThe force of articulationThe force of articulation

The manner of The manner of articulationarticulation

It refers to the interaction between the It refers to the interaction between the various articulators and the air stream; i.e. various articulators and the air stream; i.e. The air is temporally trapped and then The air is temporally trapped and then released.released.

The manners of articulation are:The manners of articulation are:

PLOSIVEPLOSIVE AFFRICATIVEAFFRICATIVE FRICATIVEFRICATIVE

NASALNASAL LATERALLATERAL APPROXIMANAPPROXIMANTT

MANNER OF MANNER OF ARTICULATIONARTICULATION

PLOSIVEPLOSIVE A complete closure is made in the vocal tract A complete closure is made in the vocal tract and the soft palate is also raised. Air pressure and the soft palate is also raised. Air pressure increases behind the closure and is then increases behind the closure and is then released explosively, e.g. /p/ and /b/released explosively, e.g. /p/ and /b/

AFFRICATIVEAFFRICATIVE A complete closure is made in the mouth and A complete closure is made in the mouth and the soft palate is raised. Air pressure increases the soft palate is raised. Air pressure increases behind the closure, and is released more behind the closure, and is released more slowly than the plosive, e.g. /slowly than the plosive, e.g. /tʃ/- /ʤ/tʃ/- /ʤ/

FRICATIVEFRICATIVE When two vocal organs come close enough When two vocal organs come close enough together for the movement of air between together for the movement of air between them to be heard, e.g. /f/- /v/them to be heard, e.g. /f/- /v/

NASALNASAL A closure is made by the lips, or by the tongue A closure is made by the lips, or by the tongue against the palate, the soft palate is lowered, against the palate, the soft palate is lowered, and air escapes through the nose, e.g. /m/- /n/ and air escapes through the nose, e.g. /m/- /n/

LATERALLATERAL A partial closure is made by the blade of the A partial closure is made by the blade of the tongue against the alveolar ridge. Air is able to tongue against the alveolar ridge. Air is able to flow around the sides of the tongue, e.g. /l/flow around the sides of the tongue, e.g. /l/

APPROXIMANAPPROXIMANTT

Vocal organs come near to each other, but no Vocal organs come near to each other, but no so close as to cause audible friction , e.g. so close as to cause audible friction , e.g. /r/- /w//r/- /w/

The following table The following table summarizes the main summarizes the main

movements of the movements of the various articulatorsvarious articulators

PLACE OF ARTICULATIONPLACE OF ARTICULATIONBilabialBilabial Using closing movement of both lips, Using closing movement of both lips,

e.g. /p/ - /b/e.g. /p/ - /b/

Labio-dentalLabio-dental Using the lower lip and the upper Using the lower lip and the upper teeth, e.g. /f/- /v/teeth, e.g. /f/- /v/

DentalDental The tongue tip is used either between The tongue tip is used either between the teeth or close to the upper teeth, the teeth or close to the upper teeth, e.g. /e.g. /θθ//ð/ð/

AlveolarAlveolar The blade of the tongue is used close The blade of the tongue is used close to the alveolar ridge, e.g. /t/- /s/.to the alveolar ridge, e.g. /t/- /s/.

Palato-Palato-alveolaralveolar

The blade ( or tip) of the tongue is The blade ( or tip) of the tongue is used just behind the alveolar ridge, used just behind the alveolar ridge, e.g. /e.g. /ʧ/-/ʤ/ʧ/-/ʤ/

PalatalPalatal The front of the tongue is raised close The front of the tongue is raised close to the palate, e.g. /j/to the palate, e.g. /j/

VelarVelar The back of the tongue is used against The back of the tongue is used against the soft palate, e.g. /k/- /the soft palate, e.g. /k/- /ŋ/ŋ/

GlottalGlottal The gap between the vocal cords is The gap between the vocal cords is used to make audible friction, e.g. /h/used to make audible friction, e.g. /h/

FORCE OF FORCE OF ARTICULATIONARTICULATION

Fortis or strong: it is related to Fortis or strong: it is related to unvoiced soundsunvoiced sounds, which require a , which require a more forcefully expelled more forcefully expelled airstream.airstream.

Lenis or weak: it is related to be Lenis or weak: it is related to be voiced soundsvoiced sounds..

The force of articulation is very The force of articulation is very difficult to define and measuredifficult to define and measure

TABLE OF ENGLISH TABLE OF ENGLISH CONSONANTSCONSONANTS

BilabiBilabialal

LabiLabio-o-dentdentalal

DentDentalal

AlveolAlveolarar

PalatoPalato--alveolalveolarar

PalatPalatalal

VelaVelarr

GlotaGlotall

PlosivePlosive bb dd gg

AffricatiAffricativeve

ʤʤ

FricativFricativee

vv ðð zz ƷƷ

NasalNasal mm nn ŋŋ

LateralLateral ll

ApproxiApproxi

mantmant((ww)) rr jj ww

Place of ArticulationFront Back

Man

ner

of

Art

icu

lati

on

ff

pp

θθ ss

ʧʧ

ʃʃ

kk

h

tt

Unvoiced phonemes are on shaded background. Voiced phonemes Unvoiced phonemes are on shaded background. Voiced phonemes are normalare normal