Consonant essay for BA students

 

Consonants

Consonants are speech sounds that are produced with some obstruction or narrowing in the vocal tract. There are 24 consonants.

Among these 21 letters, 15 letters have their usual sound values.  Linguist have invented nine symbols and example:

ɡ	θ	ð	ʃ	Ȝ	t ʃ	d Ȝ	ղ	ј
dog	myth	father	ship	measure	chain	gem	king	yes

 

Classification of Consonants:

Consonants are classified according to how they are produced.

·         The place of articulation.

·         The manner of articulation.

i. The place of articulation: It is the point of contact, where an obstruction occurs in the vocal tract between the active and passive articulators. Below table shows the place of articulations.

Labials	p b m w
Dentals	θ       ð
Labio-Dentals	f        v
Nasal	m     n     ղ
Alveolar	s   z   t   d   n   l   r
Palato Alveolar	t ʃ      d Ȝ
Palatal	j      Ȝ
Velar	k     ɡ
Guttural	h

 

ii. The manner of articulation: The manner of articulation of a sound is how the airstream is affected as is goes through your vocal tract. The seven manners of articulations are,

Plosives: The sounds p, b, t, d, k, g are called plosives. When pronounced a plosion like noise is heard.

Fricatives: The sounds f, v, θ, ð, s, z, Ȝ, ʃ, h are called fricatives because while pronouncing these sounds there is a hissing sound or friction.

Affricates: While producing the sounds dȜ, tʃ there is some plosion and friction.

Nasals: The sounds m, n, ղ are called nasal sounds because the air flows through the nose while producing these sounds.

Lateral: I, is called lateral. The air escapes through both sides of the mouth.

Frictionless continuant: r is called frictionless continuant. The tip of the tongue touches the hard palate continuously.

Semi – vowels:  j and w are called semi-vowels. The sounds are partly vowel and partly consonants.

Thus we have 24 consonants.