Consonants: Nasals, Consonants: Nasals, Approximants & Lateral(s)Approximants & Lateral(s)

Unit 4

Revision: English Consonants Place of articulation

Manner of articulation

Bilabial Labio-Dental

Dental Alveolar Palato-alveolar

Palatal Velar Glotal

Stop ( 清) ( 浊 )

pb

td

kɡ

Fricative ( 清 ) ( 浊 )

fv

θð

sz

ʃʒ

h

Affricate ( 清 ) ( 浊 )

ʧʤ

Nasal m n ŋ

Lateral l

Approximant w r j

1. Nasals ( 鼻音，或鼻腔音 )

Manner of articulation: step 1. close the mouth passage (vocal tract) at

some point; step 2. lower the soft palate at the same time to let

the air pass through the nose (there is an opening to the nasal cavity), making a voiced nasal sound.

There are 3 nasal consonants in English:– /m/– /n/– /ŋ/

Nasals

/m/Manner of articulation:

Step 1. Block the mouth passage: by closing the two lips;

Step 2. lower the soft palate at the same time to let the air pass through the nose, making a voiced nasal sound.

Place of articulation: bilabial ( 双唇音 ) （ /b/, /p/ and /w/ are also bilabials. ）

Phrases

man-made

come tomorrow

make a mistake

middle name

Practice

Some students leave out the phoneme /m/ when they occur finally. Listen and repeat each word pair.

tie —— time tea —— team

see —— seem cry —— crime

say —— same blue —— bloom

Practice

Read the following sentences.

1.The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.

2.Mountain climbing has become more and more welcome among the masses.

3.What an amazing memory Mr. Martin must have.

4.Merchants in America believe that money makes the mare go.

Nasals/n/

Manner of articulation:Step 1. Block the mouth passage: by

pressing the tip of the tongue against the upper teeth ridge;

Step 2. lower the soft palate at the same time to let the air pass through the nose, making a voiced nasal sound.

Place of articulation: alveolar ( 齿龈音 ) （ /s/ /z/ and /t/ /d/ and /l/ are also alveolars.）

/n/ 单词发音练习

neck

tin

night

noise

Phrases

neat brandy

telephone number

a negative answer

harden the neck

Practice

Read the following sentences.

1.Nothing venture, nothing have.

2.Nancy's number is neither ninety nor nineteen.

3.Helen's new house is near the lake.

4.Good morning. I'm looking for a one-bed-bedroom apartment downtown.

Nasals/ŋ/

Manner of articulation:Step 1. Block the mouth passage: by

pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate;

Step 2. lower the soft palate at the same time to let the air pass through the nose, making a voiced nasal sound.

Place of articulation: velar ( 软腭音 ) （ /k/ /g/ are also velars. ）

/ ŋ / 单词发音练习

ink

ring

sing

monkey

Phrases

ring-a-ding

strong string

rising diphthong

playing ping-pong

Compare the side views for /n/ and /ŋ/

The positions of blockage in the mouth passage are different.

Practice

Listen and try to distinguish whether the sound read is /n/ or / ŋ /.

sin —— sing son —— song thin —— thing ran —— rang win —— wing ton —— tongue

2. Lateral ( 舌边音 / 旁流音 )

There is 1 lateral consonant in English:

–/l/Manner of articulation:

Step 1. place the tip of the tongue on the upper teeth ridge;

Step 2. let the voiced breath come out at the relaxed sides of the tongue.

Place of articulation: lateral (at the sides of the tongue 舌边音 )

Allophonic variations of /l/

“Clear-l”, the front of the tongue is raised towards the hard palate.

Usu. before a vowel (i.e. look) or /j/ (i.e. prelude)

“Dark-l” , the front of the tongue is slightly hollowed, and the back is raised towards the soft palate.

Usu. before a consonant (i.e. cold) or in a final position (i.e. fool)

/l/ 的两种发音

1.清晰的 /l/ ：用在元音前，舌端紧贴上齿龈，舌前向硬腭抬起形成阻碍，气流冲破阻碍发音。

2.模糊的 /l/ ：出现在辅音前后和词尾，舌端紧抵上齿龈，舌前下陷，舌后上抬，舌面形成凹槽，气流从舌两侧留出发音。

This sound is much harder, especially when placed after consonants. Remember: your tongue is positioned against your upper palate; you should lift your tongue up when this consonant is the last sound.

Compare the side views for clear [l] and dark [l]

1.The positions of the front and back of the tongue are different.

2. The tongue in the articulation of the dark [I] has a curve.

Before vowels:

lost loser labor let lookBetween vowels:

hello million sleep bloodAfter vowels:

tell sell fill will until After consonants:

little bottle middle apple

Practice

Light the lamp, And lift the latch,

And look at the lovely lady!Is she little, Or is she tall?Oh, let’s not tell,For after all, She’s only a lovely

lady.

Practice

Compare the side views for /l/ and /n/

/l/ is a lateral, the air passes through the relaxed sides of the tongue.

/n/ is a nasal, the air passes through the nose.

3. Frictionless Continuant ( 无摩擦通音 ) There is 1 frictionless continuant in English: /r/Manner of articulation:

Step 1. put the tip of the tongue near, but not touching, the back part of the upper teeth ridge;

Step 2: the tongue has a curve shape with the front of the tongue low and the back of the tongue rather high.

Place of articulation: post-alveolar ( 后齿龈音 ) (the necessity of the slight lip-rounding in the

pronunciation of the sound /r/ )

/r/

Before vowels:red rock right wrong

Between vowels:diary hurry bury

After vowels:girl car tear

Sentences:

Ray Rice can read,

Ray Rice can write,

Ray Rice can run,

But Ray Rice can’t fight.

Practice

字母 r 在词尾时和在同一词组中紧接其后的单词中的第一个元音字母产生连读，如：

–far away–here and there–far and wide–for instance–for example–more and more–more or less–there is

Compare the side views for Clear /l/ and /r/

1.The tip of the tongue does not touch the teeth ridge;

2. A slight lip-rounding;

3. The tongue is hollowed (has a curve).

1.The air passes through the relaxed sides of the tongue;

2. The front of the tongue rises towards the hard palate.

Compare the side views for Dark /l/ and /r/

1.The tip of the tongue does not touch the teeth ridge;

2. A slight lip-rounding.

1.The air passes through the relaxed sides of the tongue;

2. The tongue also has a curve.

4. Glides (or semi-vowels) ( 滑音或半元音 )

There are 2 glides in English: /j/ and /w/

Manner of articulation: a quick and smooth glide towards a

following vowel sound. (also called semi-vowels)

Glides/j/

Manner of articulation:a quick glide from the position of

vowel /i:/ or /i/ to any other vowel.

Place of articulation: palatal ( 硬腭音 )(for /j/ the lips are relaxed )

Words:year your yellow yesterdayuse unit union universe

unique Sentences:

Excuse me if I refuse, but this suit isn’t suitable.

Yale university is not in the State of New York.

Practice

Glides/w/

Manner of articulation:a quick glide from the vowel /u:/ or

/u/ to whatever vowel follows.

Place of articulation: bilabial( 双唇音 )(the pronunciation of /w/ requires

considerable lip rounding.)

Words:went want water wood wheel whip which when where queen quick question

Sentences:Where there’s a will, there is a way.Please keep quiet for a little while.Willie wept wildly when his uncle

whipped him.

Practice