ENGLISH CONSONANTS

What Is Consonants?The consonant is from Latin-consonare which means sound with to form syllables.

1. Consonant sounds are classified and described principally by two most important components + one element – that is voicing which leads to develop between vowels and consonants. The most important elements are points of articulation and manner of articulation (Robin, 1980:76).

2. All the consonants are characterized by a closure or a decided narrowing at some point in the mouth (Gleason, 1975:23)

3. Consonants are characterized by some degree of construction or obstruction, with consequent noise. Occurring ordinarily in the oral passage (Robertson and Cassidy, 1954:61)

4. Consonants have typically a central syllabic function. They have, at least in some of their realization, circulations involving the obstructions or narrowing which produce, austically, a noise component (Gimson, 1978:28-149)

5. Consonants are: All sounds which are not voiced (e.g. /f/, /p/, /s/, etc.) All sounds in which the air does not pass through the mouth (e.g. /m/, etc.) All sounds in which the air meets an obstruction on its way through the mouth

(e.g. /b/, /l/, etc) All sounds in which there is audible friction (e.g. /v/, etc).

ENGLISH CONSONANTS

How many consonants does English have?

1. Most linguists agree that English has 24 consonants. However, there are slight differences in the phonemic transcriptions of the consonantal phonemes.For easy reference, the phonetic symbols used here are those in The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English by Hornby et all (1973), and Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English by Hornby et all (1977).The English consonants are: /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /m/, /n/, /ƞ/, /l/, /f/, /v/, /θ/, /δ/, /s/,/z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /r/, /h/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/, /w/, /j/.

2. Gimson recognizes 26 consonants + one consonants of a syllable boundary marker that is when the initial sound of the second syllable is a vowel.

ENGLISH CONSONANTS

/p/ pin /f/ fat /m/ man/t/ tin // think /n/ name/k/ kin /s/ sin /ŋ/ rang/b/ bin /∫/ shine /r/ run/d/ din /v/ van /l/ lip/g/ gun /ð/ this /y/ young/t∫/ chin /z/ zoo /w/ wait/dʒ/ judge /ʒ/ measure /h/ hang

The Difference between Vowels and Consonants

What features distinguish the sound quality of consonants from vowels? Linguists can, relatively, not fixed, distinguish the sound quality of consonants from vowels by points of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing.

What is called points of articulation?The point or points and between the organs of speech the closure or narrowing takes place is called points of articulation.

The Points of Articulation

1. Bilabial: the lips, upper and lower lips The bilabial consonants are: /p, b, m, w/2. Labiodental: the upper teeth and the lower lip. The labio dental consonants are; /f, v/3. Dental: the upper teeth and the tip of the tongue. The dental consonants are; /, ð/4. Alveolar: the upper ridge (the tooth, ridge behind the upper teeth and

the tip of the tongue. The alveolar consonants are; /t, d, s, z, l, n, r/5. Palatal: the front part of the tongue and the front part of the palate. The palatal consonants are; /t∫, dʒ, ∫,ʒ, j/6. Velar: the back soft palate and the back of the tongue. The velar consonants are; /k, g, ŋ/7. Glottal: the two vocal cords or glottis. The glottis consonant is: /h/

The Manner of Articulation

* What is the manner of articulationThe type of closure or narrowing at the point of articulation is called the manner of articulation. How many kinds of manner of articulation?

Names of manner of articulation used in this discussion are those which are used by R.W. Langecker, S.L. Stryker, and H.S. Gleason.

1. Stop: closure: complete closure of the air passages. The stop consonants are /p, b, t, d, k, g/. The sounds can be repeated but

cannot be prolonged.2. Fricative (Gleason divides fricative into slit and groove, Langecker and

Stryker do not) Type of closure or narrowing: the two organs approximate to such extent

that the air stream passes through them with friction. Sounds with this manner of articulation can be prolonged as long as the breath holds out.

The fricative consonants are: /f, v, , ð, s, z, ʃ, ʒ, h/.3. Affricative: type of closure – begins like the stop and the opening is

relatively slow plus a movement through the fricative position. That is why the affricative cannot be prolonged. They are: /t∫, dʒ/

The Manner of Articulation

4. Lateral: type of closure: partial – a partial closure is made at some point in the mouth, the air stream is being allowed, the air escapes on one or both sides of contact (the air flows around the sides of the tongue.

The lateral is /l/.5. Nasal: type of closure: there is a complete closure at

some point in the mouth but, the soft palate being allowed, the air escapes through the nose. The sounds are continuants (can be prolonged). They are: /m, n, ŋ /.

6. The semivowel/glide: the passage through the mouth is open at the mid-line. The semivowels or semiconsonants are /w, r, j/.

Descriptions of /p/

occurrences/ p / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsp, pppen , spoon, stop, happy, opportunity.

Description of /b/

occurrences/ b / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsb, bb big, banana, rubber, labor, rib, ebb, bulb.

Notice: / b/ is silent in limb, thumb, comb, etc. and in debt, subtle, doubt.

Description of /t/

occurrences/ t / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formst, tt time, wait, waited, admittedth themes, Thomas ed in verbal past tenses and participles after voiceless consonants other than / t / - jumped, looked, laughed, guessed, pushed, etc.

Notice: / t / is silent in castle, Christmas, etc.

Description of /d/

occurrences/ d / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsd, dd do, dog, leader, order, middle, bid, mad, sudden, admit

Description of /k/

Occurrences:/k/ occurs initially, medially, and finally

spelling formsk, c, cc+o,u kind, accord, accuse, secret, skinqu, ch conquer, stomach, chemist, anchor

Notice: the silent c or k in muscle, know, knit

Description of /g/

occurrences/ g / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsg, gggo, geese, girl, dogma, begged, struggle.gh, gu ghost, guard

Notice: / g / is silent in gnaw, gnat, diaphragm, sign, etc.

Description of /m/

occurrences/ m / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsm, mm, sometimes with – mb, mn meal, mat, march, lamb, harmed, autumn

Description of /n/

occurrences :/ n / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsn, nn, or kn, gn, pn – neat, knit, gnaw, knot, gnaw, name, know, manner, dinner, many, pneumonia,

Description of /ƞ/

occurrences: medially and finally.

spelling formsng, or – n followed by a letter indicating a velar consonant, sing, tongue, sink, uncle, anxious, singer, finger, anger.

Descriptions of /f/

occurrences/ f / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formsf, ff, ph, gh feet, fit, father, fool, fail, photo, affair, offer, defend, leaf, fry, laugh, cough

Descriptions of /v/

occurrences/ v / occurs initially, medially, and finally.

spelling formsv, f, ph villa, veil, of, nephew.

Descriptions of / /

occurrences/ θ / occurs initially, medially, and finally.

spelling formth think, thank, method, month, south

Notice that th is pronounced t in Thames /temz/, Thomas /toməs, and thyme /taɪm/.

Descriptions of / ð /

occurrences/ ð / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formth there, this, then, soothe, clothe,

Descriptions of /s/

occurrences/ s / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formss, ss, c, sc, x (ks) cease, pieces, losses, essay, exes, concert, escape, scarce, helps

Descriptions of /z/

occurrences/ z / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formss, ss, z, zz, x (gz) zeal, zest, easy, hesitate, bazaar, thousand, palsy, fees, is, says, was,

ooze, example, examine

Descriptions of / ʃ /

occurrences/ ʃ / occurs initially, medially and finally.

spelling formssh, ch, sch, s or ss before u, -ti-, -si-, I -, ee – sheet, shed, special, ocean, shop, sugar, charade, assure, schedule, nation, mansion, machine, conscience, Asia,

Descriptions of / ʒ /

occurrences/ ʒ / occurs medially and finally.

spelling formssi, s, z, before u, and, in French loan words, final – ge –gigue, vision, measure, seizure, beige, pleasure, leisure, usual, confusion, decision, prestige,

Descriptions of /h/

occurrences: initially and medially spelling forms

h, wh how, hat, who, whom, heat, hate, high, hallo, ahead, behave, behind, perhaps, anyhow.