Research Topics - Unit 2: page 11

The consonants

The consonant are those sounds which involve some obstruction of the airway which produced an audible friction

Most of the consonants can be divided into two broad categories according to whether or not the involve vibration of the vocal folds - voiced consonants involve vibration while the unvoiced do not. In many cases, consonants occur in voiced and unvoiced pairs, Thus b is the voiced equivalent of the unvoiced p, d is the voiced equivalent of the unvoiced t and so on.

Consonants are further classified according to where the obstruction occurs in the vocal tract and the nature of the release of the obstruction - whether the release is sudden and explosive or more gradual.

(See Roach chapters 4, 6 and 7 for a detailed account)

The consonants of English are as follows:

The plosives (involving a sudden, explosive release of the obstruction)

Obstruction involving the lips: voiced [b] as in Bill; unvoiced [p] as in pan.

Obstruction involving the tongue against the hard ridge behind the teeth: voiced [d] in dentist; unvoiced [t] in terrible.

Obstruction of the tongue against the soft palate towards the back of the mouth: voiced [g] as in gill, gallant; unvoiced [k] as in catch, kill.

The fricatives (produced as disturbed air continues to pass through a narrow aperture, making a hissing sound)

Lower lip against top teeth: [f] as in father; [v] as in very.

Obstruction made by a closing of the glottis at the back of the throat: [h] as in head, house.

The affricatives (a combination of plosives and fricatives, begin with sudden release, continue with a slight hiss)

The nasals (the pathway into the mouth is closed over, forcing the air out through the nose)

Lips brought together: [m] as in mouse.

Tongue up against alveolar ridge: [n] as in nose.

Semi-vowels.

The semi-vowels have been discussed previously. They are as follows.

[l] as in lead

[r] as in red

[w] as in week

[j] as in the first sound in your, year.