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- 4.2.2 Alveolar
Alveolar Stops Alveolar stops are formed by the tip and blade of the tongue forming a full closure against the teeth ridge. The sound is produced when the closure is abruptly released so that the air escapes as a puff or air. The alveolar stops occur...
- 4.2.1 Bilabial
Bilabial Stops Bilabial stops are produced by the lower lip forming a closure with the upper lip, so that the air cannot escape. The sound occurs when the closure is abruptly released as a puff of air. The stop sounds occur in a pair, i.e. one Fortis...
- 3. Teaching Units
Teaching Units The diagramme lists the six groups of sounds that will be described in this course. Two of these belong to the vowel category, i.e. monophthongs and diphthongs, four are consonants. Note that the term vowel is used here for stable sounds...
- 2. Survey Of Symbols
Survey of transcription symbols The diagramme shows the 44 phonemes of Standard British English The diagramme is organised in the following sequence: Long vowels (5), Short vowels (7), Diphthongs (8), Stops (8), Fricatives (9), Nasals (3), and Approximants...
- 1. Sound Production
The Vocal Organs Speech is produced by the vocal organs. Every language has a definite set of speech sounds, and every sound can be described with reference to the vocal organ that is used to produce it. In this way sounds occurring in different languages...
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4. Consonants
Consonants
The diagramme shows the 24 consonant phonemes of Standard British English, divided into four groups. The groups are arranged according to degree of closure of the vocal organs. The Nasals and Stops are produced with complete oral closure, the Fricatives with sufficient closure to cause audible friction, whereas Approximants, though produced with narrowing of the vocal organs, are still open enough for friction not to occur. The groups will be treated individually in the teaching units section.
It is important to note that some consonants come in pairs, others do not. If there is no pair, the consonant in question is always voiced. If there is a pair, there is one voiced and one unvoiced variant. Unvoiced consonants are pronounced with far greater force than voiced consonants, and therefore termed Fortis. The voiced form is termed Lenis. This distinction, called the Fortis/Lenis contrast, plays a far greater role than voicing. Of still greater importance is the fact that a fortis consonant tends to cut the length of the preceding sound(s), whereas a lenis consonant tends to lengthen. Language learners should take great care to observe and practice this phenomenon.
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- 4.2.2 Alveolar
Alveolar Stops Alveolar stops are formed by the tip and blade of the tongue forming a full closure against the teeth ridge. The sound is produced when the closure is abruptly released so that the air escapes as a puff or air. The alveolar stops occur...
- 4.2.1 Bilabial
Bilabial Stops Bilabial stops are produced by the lower lip forming a closure with the upper lip, so that the air cannot escape. The sound occurs when the closure is abruptly released as a puff of air. The stop sounds occur in a pair, i.e. one Fortis...
- 3. Teaching Units
Teaching Units The diagramme lists the six groups of sounds that will be described in this course. Two of these belong to the vowel category, i.e. monophthongs and diphthongs, four are consonants. Note that the term vowel is used here for stable sounds...
- 2. Survey Of Symbols
Survey of transcription symbols The diagramme shows the 44 phonemes of Standard British English The diagramme is organised in the following sequence: Long vowels (5), Short vowels (7), Diphthongs (8), Stops (8), Fricatives (9), Nasals (3), and Approximants...
- 1. Sound Production
The Vocal Organs Speech is produced by the vocal organs. Every language has a definite set of speech sounds, and every sound can be described with reference to the vocal organ that is used to produce it. In this way sounds occurring in different languages...