Basics of phonetics terms

Based on phonetics chapters one and two

Articulation

Movement

Supralaryngeal

Above the larynx

Articulators

structures involved in articulation

Nasopharynx

from nostrils to velum

Oral cavity

vocal tract from lips to uvuala

Nasal cavity

vocal tract from uvula to larynx

Consonants

Speech sounds made with constriction. Air flowing from the lungs is stopped or slowed for an interval of time

Voiced

vocal folds vibrating

Voiceless

Vocal folds not vibrating, open

Place of Articulation (POA)

The place in the vocal tract where the constriction is made

Nasal

Air is flowing through the nasal cavity to produce sound

Oral

Air is flowing through the oral cavity to produce sound

Lateral

Air is flowing from the sides of the mouth

Central

Air is flowing out from the front of the mouth

Labial Sounds

made by moving the lips

Coronal sounds

made by moving the tip or blade of the tongue

Dorsal sounds

made by moving the back of the tongue

Bilabial sounds

sounds made with both lips

labiodental

lower lip contacts upper teeth

Interdental

Tongue tip protruding between upper & lower incisors

Alveolar

Tongue tip/blade contacts the alveolar ridge

Retroflex

tongue tip curled back contacting the post alvelor region

Palato-alveolar

Tongue tip contacts the post alvelor region

Palatal

tongue dorsum and the hard palate connect

velar

tongue dorsum and soft palate connect

glottal

no movement of the supralaryngeal articulators

Manner of Articulation

the degree that the vocal tract is constricted

Stop

Complete cessation of airflow in the oral cavity

Oral stops

no airflow during closure

nasal stops

nasal airflow during closure

Fricative

close proximity of two articulators. The air molecules bump into each other through the narrow passageway generating noise

Approximant

close approximation of two articulators but not so close that air flowing through them generates noise

trill

air flowing through a constriction causes the articulators to vibrate