Question: Discuss English consonants according to place of articulation.
Ans. Consonants are sounds that are produced with articulators more or less close. Consonants are classified according three dimensions:
- Voicing
- Place of articulation
- Manner of articulation
More Notes of Linguistics
The place of articulation
The place of articulation refers to that area where the articulators are opposing some kind of stricture or obstacle to the passing of air. The consonants are illustrated here in accordance with place of articulation.
| Classification | Articulators | Examples |
| Bilabial
|
Upper lip and lower lip.
|
/p b m w / |
| Dental
|
Teeth and tip of tongue.
|
/θ/ as is “thick” and “bath”
/ð/ as in “the” and “rather” |
| Labio-dental
|
Lower lip and upper teeth.
|
/ f v / |
| Alveolar
|
Alveolar ridge and tip and blade of tongue.
|
/t d s z l m/ |
| Post-alveolar | Hard palate and tip of tongue.
|
/r/ |
| Palato-alveolar | Hard palate – alveolar and tip, blade and front of the tongue.
|
/ʃ/ as in “shot” or “brash”
/ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/ |
| Palatal- | Hard palate and front of tongue. | /j/ |
| Velar – | Soft palate and back of tongue. | /k g ŋ/
|
| Glottal | Glottis that means vocal cords. | /h/ |
Jgvghhhh