Hugo, Avegail P.

BSED-ENGLISH 2-A1

Place of articulation

The active articulator usually moves in order to make the constriction. The passive articulator usually
just sits there and gets approached.

1. BILABIAL ( two lips)

The articulators are the two lips. (We could say that the lower lip is the active articulator and the upper
lip the passive articulator, though the upper lip usually moves too, at least a little.) English bilabial
sounds include [p], [b], and [m].

EXAMPLES:

[ /b/ ] bought, [ /m/ ] mat

[ /p/ ] pay, [ /w/ ] wool

2. LABIO-DENTAL (lip & teeth)

The lower lip is the active articulator and the upper teeth are the passive articulator. English labio-
dental sounds include [f] and [v].

EXAMPLES:

[ /f/ ] felt

[ /v/ ] veal

3. DENTAL (from the tongue)

Dental sounds involve the upper teeth as the passive articulator. The active articulator may be either
the tongue tip or (usually) the tongue blade -- diacritic symbols can be used if it matters which. Extreme
laminodental sounds are often called interdental. English interdental sounds include [θ] and [&edh;].

EXAMPLES:

[ /θ/ ] thin

[ /ꝺ / ] this
4. ALVEOLAR (behind the teeth)
Alveolar sounds involve the alveolar ridge as the passive articulator. The active articulator may be either
the tongue blade or (usually) the tongue tip -- diacritic symbols can be used if it matters which. English
alveolar sounds include [t], [d], [n], [s], [z], [l].

EXAMPLES:

[ /t/ ] to, [ /z/ ] zoo

[ /d/] do, [ /n/ ] new

5. POST ALVEOLAR (formed by tongue curled behind alveolar ridge)

Postalveolar sounds involve the area just behind the alveolar ridge as the passive articulator. The active
articulator may be either the tongue tip or (usually) the tongue blade -- diacritic symbols can be used if
it matters which. English postalveolars include [&esh;] and [&ezh;].

EXAMPLES:

[ /ʃ/ ] sheep
[ /ʒ/ ] occasion

6. GLOTTAL (from the throat)

The glottis is even deeper than the pharynx and epiglottis in the throat. You can see where glottal
consonants are produced here

EXAMPLES:

[ /h/] happy
[

/
h
/

h
i

7. PALATAL (top middle of the mouth)

The active articulator is the tongue body and the passive articulator is the hard palate. The English glide
[j] is a palatal.

EXAMPLES:

[ /ʃ/ ] shin
[ /ʧ/ chef

8. VELAR (back of the tongue against the soft palate)

The active articulator is the tongue body and the passive articulator is the soft palate. English velars
include [k], [g], and [ŋ].

EXAMPLES:

[ /k/ ] kick and [ /ŋ/ ] sing

Manners of Articulation

In consonant sounds the airflow is interrupted, diverted or restricted as it passes the oral cavity. The
respective modifications that are made to a sound are referred to as their manner of articulation. The
manner of articulation, therefore, describes how the different speech organs are involved in producing a
consonant sound, basically how the airflow is obstructed. Thus, the manner of articulation is a distinctive
feature in the English language.

1. Plosives/stops: In plosives, the speech organs are closed and the oral and nasal cavity
completely closed blocking off the airstream. The upbuilding pressure in the oral cavity is then suddenly
released. The audible puff of air that is released is called aspiration. Plosives of the English language
are /p/, /t/, /k/ (voiceless) and //b/, /d/, /g/ (voiced).

EXAMPLE:
[ /p/ ] purse and rap
[ /b/ ] back and cab

2. Affricates: Like with plosives there is a complete blockage of the airstream in the oral cavity.
But in contrast to said plosives, the blocked-off airstream is not released suddenly, but rather slowly
causing audible friction. Affricates can, therefore, be divided into two parts: a plosive followed by a
fricative (as there is closure and friction in the same place). But note that affricates are always analyzed
as only one phoneme. English affricates are /tʃ/ (voiceless) as in cheese and /dʒ/ (voiced) as in jungle.

EXAMPLE:
[ /ʧ/ ]
chick
and
match
[ /ʤ/ ]
jam and
badge

3. Nasals: In nasal sounds the velum (soft palate) is lowered blocking off the oral cavity. Air can
only escape through the nose. English nasals are /m/, /n/ and /ŋ/ as in sing, which are all voiced.

EXAMPLE:
[ /m/ ]
mad
and
clam
[ /n/ ]
no and
man

4. Fricatives: Fricatives are created when air forces its way through a narrow gap between two
articulators at a steady pace. They can be divided into two categories: slit fricatives and groove
fricatives. In slit fricatives the tongue is rather flat (as in /f/, /θ/ as in thing (voiceless), /v/, /ð/ as in this
(voiced) ) while in groove fricatives the front of the tongue forms the eponymous groove (/s/ as in
seal, /ʃ/ as in shock (voiceless), /z/ as in zero, /ʒ/ as in measure (voiced).

EXAMPLES:
[ /f/ ] fro and calf
[ /v/ ] vine and have

5. Laterals: The tip of the tongue is pressed onto the alveolar ridge. The rims of the tongue are
lowered so that the air escapes over the lowered tongue rims. The only English lateral sound is /l/
(voiced).

EXAMPLES:
[ /k/ ] kick
[ /l/ ] like

6. Approximants: The name approximants refers to the fact that the articulators involved
approach each another without actually touching. There are three approximants in the English
language: /j/ as in you, /w/ as in we and /r/ as in rise (all voiced). Approximants are often referred to as
semi-vowels (or glides) as they represent the “twilight zone” between consonants and vowels.

EXAMPLES:
[ /w/ ] wet and hawk
[ /j/ ] yes and bayou