Phonetic Features of Consonants

voiceless (voicing)

produced without any vibration or movement of the vocal cords

voiced (voicing)

produced while the vocal cords (vocal folds) vibrate

bilabial (place of articulation

made by bringing both lips together or very close to each other

labiodental (place of articulation)

produced when the lower lip touches or comes close to the upper front teeth

interdental (place of articulation)

produced by placing the tip of the tongue between the upper and lower front teeth

alveolar (place of articulation)

made by placing the tongue against or near the alveolar ridge

(alveo)palatal (place of articulation)

produced by raising the front or blade of the tongue toward or against the hard palate

velar (place of articulation)

made when the back of the tongue touches or comes close to the soft palate, also known as the velum

glottal (place of articulation)

produced by the glottis (the space between the vocal cords in the throat) rather than the tongue, lips, or teeth

stop (manner of articulation)

produced by completely blocking the airflow in the vocal tract and then releasing it

fricative (manner of articulation)

made by forcing air through a narrow channel in the vocal tract creating audible friction or a hissing sound without fully stopping the airflow (continuant sounds)

affricate (manner of articulation)

begins as a stop and releases into a fricative at the same place in the mouth

tap/flap (manner of articulation)

made with a single, quick contraction of the muscles that throws one articulator, usually the tip of the tongue, briefly against a place of articulation like the alveolar ridge

nasal (manner of articulation)

made by lowering the soft palate so the air continuously passes through the nose

liquid (manner of articulation)

made with partial closure of the vocal tract, allowing smooth, continuous, and vowel-like airflow

glide (manner of articulation)

phonetically similar to a vowel but functions structurally as a consonant