English Phonemes and Consonants Classification

10 Questions

What is the characteristic of [h] that leads to its classification as a glottal fricative?

The glottis is narrow enough to create some turbulence in the airstream.

Which of the following is an example of a bilabial consonant?

[p]

What is the main characteristic of sonorants?

They are always voiced.

What is the characteristic of occlusive consonants?

The air stream meets a complete obstruction.

What is the term for consonants produced with a complete obstruction that is slowly released and becomes incomplete?

Affricates

What is the primary basis for distinguishing between consonants and vowels in the English language?

Auditory effect

Which of the following consonants is characterized by the complete blockage of airflow at the alveolar ridge?

[t]

What is the term for the consonant sound produced when the tongue tip approaches or touches the upper teeth?

Dental

In which type of consonant does the tongue tip curl backward in the mouth?

Retroflex

What is the term for the consonant sound produced when the body of the tongue approaches or touches the hard palate?

Palatal

Study Notes

English Phonemes

There are 44 phonemes in the English language.
These phonemes are divided into 19 consonants, 7 digraphs, 5 'r-controlled' sounds, 5 long vowels, 5 short vowels, 2 'oo' sounds, and 2 diphthongs.

Classification of English Consonants

Consonants have voice and noise combined and are characterized by close articulation.
There are 8 main classes of consonants based on their place of articulation:

Bilabial Consonants

The lower and upper lips approach or touch each other.
Examples: [p], [b], and [m] are bilabial stops.

Labiodental Consonants

The lower lip approaches or touches the upper teeth.
Examples: [f] and [v] are labiodental fricatives.

Dental Consonants

The tip or blade of the tongue approaches or touches the upper teeth.
Examples: [θ] and [ð] are dental fricatives.

Alveolar Consonants

The tongue tip approaches or touches the alveolar ridge.
Examples: [t], [d], and [n] are alveolar stops, [s] and [z] are alveolar fricatives, and [l] is an alveolar lateral approximant.

Retroflex Consonants

The tongue tip is curled backward in the mouth.
Example: [ɹ] is a retroflex approximant.

Palatal Consonants

The body of the tongue approaches or touches the hard palate.
Example: [j] is a palatal approximant.

Velar Consonants

The body of the tongue approaches or touches the soft palate (velum).
Examples: [k], [ɡ], and [ŋ] are velar stops.

Glottal Consonants

The glottis is the opening between the vocal folds.
Example: [h] is a glottal fricative.

Principles of Classification

According to the degree of noise: noise and sonorants (always voiced).
According to the work of the vocal cords: voiced (vocal cords vibrate) and voiceless (vocal cords don't vibrate).
According to the force of articulation: weak/lenis (all voiced) and strong/fortis (all voiceless).
According to the position of the soft palate: oral (soft palate raised) and nasal (soft palate lowered).
According to the manner of articulation: occlusive (plosives), constrictive (fricatives), and occlusive-constrictive (affricates).
According to the active organs of speech: labial, dental, alveolar, retroflex, palatal, velar, and glottal.