BBNANG141 Foundations of phonology

Phonetics 1: Consonants

Pter Szigetvri

Dept of English Linguistics, Etvs Lornd University

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outline

branches of phonetics

articulatory properties of consonantsplace of articulationmanner of articulationphonation typeairstream mechanism

multiple articulatory gestures

IPA symbol charts

sample exam questions

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branches of phonetics

physical properties of sounds

the study of the physical properties of speech sounds(a.k.a. phonetics) has three branches

articulatory (what to put where and how to get the given sound)

acoustic (the properties of the sound waves of the given sound)

auditory (how the brain processes the acoustic signals the ear receives)

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articulatory properties of consonants

articulatory properties of consonants

place of articulation (POA)

the location within the vocal tract where the most significant constrictionoccurs

manner of articulation

the type of constriction that occurs

phonation type

the configuration of the larynx (the glottis)

airstream mechanism

the initiator and the direction of the airstream

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articulatory properties of consonants place of articulation

place of articulation

articulatorspassive

2 lips/labial

3 teeth/dental

4 upper alveolarridge/alveolar

5 /post-alveolar

6 /pre-palatal

7 palate/palatal

8 soft palate orvelum/velar

9 uvula/uvular

10 pharynx/pharyngeal

active

11 glottis/glottal

12 epiglottis/epiglottal

13 tongue root/radical

14 back of tongue body/postero-dorsal

15 front of tonguebody/antero-dorsal

16 tongue blade/laminal

17 tongue tip/apical

18 /sub-apical

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articulatory properties of consonants place of articulation

places of articulation

22 bilabial (p)23 labiodental (f)

162 linguo-labial163 interdental (AmE th T)173 apical dental (BrE th T)

163/4 (laminal) denti-alveolar174 apical alveolar (t)164 laminal alveolar175 apical retroflex165 (laminal) palato-alveolar

186/7 sub-apical (retroflex)156/7 palatal (Hung. ty c)

148 velar (k)149 uvular (q)

1310 pharyngeal1210 epiglottal

11 glottal (P)

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articulatory properties of consonants manner of articulation

manner of articulation

primarily denotes the degree of constriction

complete: stop (p t c k m n N)

almost complete, the gap is so narrow that turbulent airflow isproduced: fricative; there are two types

sibilant (s z S Z) nonsibilant (f v T D J x G)

almost none, the gap is so wide that there is no turbulence:approximant (w V 4 j)

none: vowel (which we will look at next week)

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articulatory properties of consonants manner of articulation

manner of articulation

the following also belong here

lateral: more constriction in the central area, more air escapes at thesides (fricative: ; approximant: l)

rhotic (r-sounds): trill (r), tap/flap (R), approximant rhotic ( ),fricative rhotic (K)

nasal: velum is lowered, allowing air to flow through the nasal tract(as well) (stop: m n N; vowel: A)

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articulatory properties of consonants manner of articulation

manner of articulation

two major manner categories

vowel vs. consonant: actual syllable peak vs. actual syllable edge(u

uu

= wuw, iii

= jij), but the terminology is inconsistent, sincesyllabic consonants are not called vowels (nn

"n)

sonorant vs. obstruent: potential syllable peak vs. impossiblesyllable peak

sonorants: vowels, approximants, rhotics, nasal stops obstruents: nonnasal stops, fricatives

n.b. in many languages (e.g., English and Hungarian) obstruentscome in voiceless/voiced pairs, while sonorants are usually all voiced

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articulatory properties of consonants phonation type

phonation type

states of the glottis

A glottal stop: vocal folds held together (P)

B creaky voice/laryngealization: vocal folds vibrating, arytenoidspressed together, low rate of airflow (b

m

A)

C modal voice: vocal folds vibrate (b m A)

D breathy voice/murmur: arytenoids apart, vocal folds vibrate withoutcontact, high rate of airflow (b

/bH A

)

E voiceless: vocal folds do not vibrate, arytenoids apart (p m

A)

F aspirated: arytenoids further apart than for voiceless (ph h)

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articulatory properties of consonants airstream mechanism

airstream mechanism

pulmonic airstream

only egressive (lung air pushed out under the control of the respiratorymuscles): (ex)plosive (p t k b d g)

glottalic airstream

egressive (pharynx air compressed by the upward movement of theclosed glottis): ejective (p t k)

ingressive (downward movement of the vibrating glottis): implosive( )

velaric airstream

only ingressive (mouth air rarefied by the backward and downwardmovement of the tongue pressed to the velum): click ( !) (think of Xixo(N!xau) from The Gods Must Be Crazy)

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multiple articulatory gestures

multiple articulatory gestures

double closures (two POAs)

labio-velar stop:>kp

>gb >Nm, approximant: w

secondary articulations

labialization: kw gw, palatalization: pj bj, velarization: mG (cf. Englishdark l), pharyngealization: s (=Arabic emphatics)

affricates

stop+fricative: dz

they are commonly sibilants (like the above)

they are in fact not doubly articulated, but slowly released stops

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IPA symbol charts

main consonant chart

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IPA symbol charts

diacritics, non-pulmonics, co-articulated

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sample exam questions

sample exam questions

which is an obstruent?

1. A

2.

3. k

4. m

which is not a POA?

1. lateral

2. palatal

3. bilabial

4. uvular

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branches of phoneticsarticulatory properties of consonantsplace of articulationmanner of articulationphonation typeairstream mechanism

multiple articulatory gesturesIPA symbol chartssample exam questions