English ConsonantsInternational phonetic alphabet

ConsonantsThis is a speech sound produced by the diversion, obstruction or stoppage of the air at some part of the breath passage.

The consonants are easier to improve than the vowels because:

1) with the consonants, it is easya. to describeb. to feel andc. to approximate

with the vowels, it is difficulta. to measureb. to imitate andc. to hold or maintain

2) The student does not need to refer as often to the dictionary for the correct pronunciation since the consonant sounds are more consistently represented by the consonant letters.

3) Most of the phonetic symbols of the consonants are exactly the same as the symbols used in ordinary script.

There are only nine new consonant sounds, namely:

NG ŋ sɪŋTH θ θɪŋTH ð ðɛnY j ju

WH hw hwatSH ʃ ʃʌtZH ʒ beɪʒ

TSH/CH tʃ tʃɔɪsDZH dʒ dʒʌmp

The description of consonants will:

1) point out particular form of mispronunciation

a) substitutionb) omissionc) distortiond) inadequate aspiratione) insufficient voicing

2) suggest the specific cause of this mispronunciation

a. ten English sounds that must be learned f-v ð-θ z ʃ-ʒ tʃ-dʒ hw

b. five vernacular sounds that must be improved

p t k l rc. difficult consonant clusters in the English

sound systems θ ð -ed final endings

The presence-absence of voice1) Voiced – sounds which are

characterized by the vibration of the vocal cords during the production of the sound

b v d g z ʒ

2. Voiceless – sounds which are characterized by the absence of vibration of the vocal cords during the production of the sound

f t k s ʃ

SUBSTITUTION

I’m Bictor, a froud Filifino bamfire (vampire)!

F, V, voiceless TH and voiced TH

Far (far) Par (par)Voice (vɔɪs) Boice (bɔɪs)

Thin (θɪn) Tin (tɪn)There (ðɛr) Dere (dɛr)

p f b vManner of articulation plosive Fricative plosive fricative

Place of articulation upper lip-

lower lip

upper teeth-

lower lip

upper lip-lower lip

upper teeth-

lower lipPresence-absence of voice

voiceless voiceless voiced voiced

pea fee pile filepeel feel pine fine

pierce fierce paid fadepad fad pail failpare fare pain feignpast fast ply flypork fork pry frypar far pray fraypurr fur pan fan

P-f initial sound

P-f final sound

leap leaf cup cuffsnip sniff gulp gulfcap calf pup pufflap laugh stripe strife

warp wharf wipe wife

P-f phrases with the same vowels

1. pat the fat one2. pair for the fair3. pus caused fuss4. please kill the fleas5. put your foot6. pour for four7. punning is fun8. fill with pills9. fool in the pool

1. please forget2. peel it first3. plural form4. push it forward5. patiently following6. poorly furnished7. fountain pain8. fool the public9. food-poisoning

1. peace fund2. passing fancy3. purely functioning4. permanent fixture5. potent force6. familiar poem7. fascinating partner8. fighting pose9. fourth part

phrases with different spellings for /f/

/gh/ and /ph/1. tough enough2. cough not laugh3. sophisticated atmosphere4. nephew’s photograph5. emphasis on phonetics6. phone for Mr. Joseph Murphy7. deciphering hieroglyphics

b-v initial sound

beer veer bolt vaultbet vet bile vile

bent vent boat voteberry very bow vowbest vest bail veil

b-v final sound

curb curveverb vervedub doverobe rovelobe love

b-v phrase with the same vowels

1. bend toward the vend2. base of the vase3. vie if you buy4. bowed as she vowed5. banished soon vanished

1. a bit vain2. bridal veil3. because you vowed4. very big5. voice and body6. vertical bar7. business venture8. vaguely blasé9. bank vault

1. about to review2. debate is over3. public and private4. probable evidence5. invite your neighbor6. never sober7. obviously stubborn8. ever sublime9. rebellious juvenile

1. superb dive2. scrub the stove3. behave bravely4. move the crib5. dissolve the club6. gave the job7. observe then believe8. verbose not verbal9. have the stub

t θ d ðManner of articulation plosive fricative plosive fricative

Place of articulation

tongue-tip-upper

teeth ridge

tongue tip-teeth

tongue-tip-upper

teeth ridge

tongue tip-teeth

Presence-absence of voice

voiceless voiceless voiced voiced

time thigh down then

• Voiceless TH and voiced TH are the lingua-dental fricatives.

• Instead of fricatives, the Filipino often wrongly uses the voiceless T and the voiced D which are the lingua-alveolar plosives.

t – θ words with the same vowels

tick thick tread threadticket thicket trash thrashtank thank taut thoughttorn thorn tie thigh

a. Initial sound

b. Final sound

heat heath pat pathmitt myth rat wrathpit pith boot boothbat bath suit sooth

heart hearth dirt dearthbrought broth oat oath

c. Medial sounds

method ether strengthen birthdayyouthful something wealthy ruthlessauthor earthquake anything Pythagorean

lengthwise anthology ruthless hypothesis

t – θ phrases with the same vowels1. the tenth tent2. the fourth fort3. three of the trees4. thin coat of tin5. theme song of the team6. true we’re through7. both left the boat8. no faith, sad fate9. even in death, more debts

t – θ phrases with the different vowels

1. too thick2. today‘s the third3. touch your throat4. temporary thing5. tempted by the throne6. tendency to theorize7. a thousand times8. think in terms9. thoroughly trained

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still

waters.He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in

the path of righteousness for his name’s sake.- PSALM 23

Three poets, in three distant ages born,Greece, Italy and England did adorn.The first in loftiness of thought surpassed,The next in majesty, in both the last:The force of Nature could no farther go;To make a third, she joined the former two.

ANONYMOUS

d – ð words with the same vowels

den then dine thinedense thence dough though

die thy dish this

a. Initial sound

ladder lather breeding breathingsudden southern udder otherloading loathing leader leather

a. Medial sound

breed breathe read wreatheseed seethe sued soothelied lithe ride writhe

a. Final sound

1. don’t they?2. direct them3. discuss their essays4. so that you dance5. though I delay6. these diets7. faded clothing8. hard to bathe9. clothe her in gold

It is not the idea that matters. It is the

development of that idea. More so, it is the

method of development of that idea. How

many thousands of theories have we known?

But how many of them have made us think?

Were there some we immediately knew we

could do without? Were there others that

bothered us?

Still others that we found altogether

worthless? And some that seemed quite

pathetic in their uselessness, yet proved

rather stimulating as we followed them

through? On fertile earth, the seed will thrive.

On the smooth rhythm of its expression, the

thought finds strength. Gather these thoughts

that mean truth to us. Study them.

Notice their growth. Although their paths may

vary, each within is complete. See that

everything about them has purpose. Nothing

is without method. Thus, with them, we move

further on.