Phonetics: Consonants and Vowels (Weeks 4 & 5)

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering phonetic descriptions of consonants (place of articulation, active and passive articulators, manner, phonation) and vowels (height, backness, rounding, tenseness, monophthongs, and diphthongs) from Weeks 4 and 5.

Consonant

A speech sound (phone) produced with a narrow constriction in the vocal tract made by moving one or more active articulators toward a passive articulator target.

Active Articulator

The lower, moving part of the vocal tract (such as the lower lip or parts of the tongue) that moves toward a target during speech production.

Passive Articulator

The upper, stationary target in the vocal tract (such as the upper lip, upper teeth, or alveolar ridge) toward which the active articulator moves.

Bilabial

A place of articulation in the labial category where the lower lip acts as the active articulator against the upper lip as the passive articulator.

Labiodental

A place of articulation in the labial category where the lower lip acts as the active articulator against the upper teeth as the passive articulator.

Dental

A coronal place of articulation where the tongue blade acts as the active articulator against the upper teeth as the passive articulator.

Alveolar

A coronal place of articulation where the tongue tip acts as the active articulator against the alveolar ridge as the passive articulator.

Postalveolar

A coronal place of articulation where the tongue blade acts as the active articulator against the postalveolar region as the passive articulator.

Retroflex

A coronal place of articulation where the underside (below) of the tongue tip acts as the active articulator against the postalveolar region.

Palatal

A place of articulation with coronal and dorsal major PoA, where the tongue blade and tongue back articulate against the hard palate as the passive articulator.

Velar

A dorsal place of articulation where the tongue back acts as the active articulator against the velum (soft palate) as the passive articulator.

Uvular

A dorsal place of articulation where the tongue back acts as the active articulator against the uvula as the passive articulator.

Pharyngeal

A place of articulation where the tongue root acts as the active articulator against the pharyngeal wall as the passive articulator.

Epiglottal

A place of articulation where the epiglottis acts as the active articulator against the pharyngeal wall as the passive articulator.

Glottal

A place of articulation produced using the vocal folds as the primary site of constriction within the larynx.

Consonant Description Formula

The standard descriptive order for classifying consonant phones: [phonation] - [place] - [manner].

Phonation

The state of the vocal folds during consonant production, primarily distinguishing voiced sounds (vocal folds vibrating) from voiceless sounds (vocal folds held apart).

Manner of Articulation

The configuration and interaction of articulators that dictates the degree and type of air obstruction in the vocal tract (e.g., plosive, fricative, approximant, nasal).

Plosive (Stop)

A consonant manner of articulation characterized by complete closure in the vocal tract that blocks airflow, followed by a sudden release of pressure.

Fricative

A consonant manner of articulation formed by bringing two articulators close together to create turbulent, noisy airflow through a narrow constriction.

Affricate

A complex consonant sound that begins as a complete stop/closure and transitions smoothly into a fricative release at the same or nearby place of articulation.

Approximant

A consonant manner of articulation where articulators approach each other closely enough to alter the airflow, but not narrow enough to create turbulent friction.

Nasal

A consonant produced with a complete oral closure while the velum is lowered, allowing air to escape freely through the nasal cavity.

Vowel

A speech phone produced with an open vocal tract without significant constriction, primarily described by height, backness, rounding, and tenseness.

Vowel Height

The vertical dimension of vowel articulation describing how high or low the tongue body is relative to the palate (categorized as high, mid, or low).

Vowel Backness

The horizontal dimension of vowel articulation describing the relative position of the tongue body along the front-back axis of the mouth (front, central, or back).

Lip Rounding

The articulatory shape of the lips during vowel production, classified as either rounded (protruded lips) or unrounded (spread or neutral lips).

Tenseness (Tense vs. Lax)

An articulatory distinction where tense vowels are produced with greater muscular effort, longer duration, and more peripheral positions in the vowel space compared to lax vowels.

Monophthong

A pure, steady-state vowel sound whose articulatory position and auditory quality remain essentially constant throughout its production.

Diphthong

A complex vowel sound that involves an intentional glide and audible change in tongue height, backness, or lip shape from an initial quality to an offglide within a single syllable.