Summary Chapter one ‘English Phonemes’
Sound Structure
Module 1, Year 1
Speech sounds are made by modifying an air stream, in this course considered
oral and nasal.
The vocal folds are located in the larynx. They can be open or closed.
Open? air can flow through them from the lungs
Vocal fold vibration the sequence of opening and closing the folds by air and
constant muscular pressure.
Air lying underneath the folds are forcing the folds and muscles to open. Once
this pressure is gone, the muscles care for the folds to close again
1.1Voicing
voiced sounds: sounds which are produced with vocal fold vibration
voiceless sounds: sounds which are produced without this vibration
1.2 Place of articulation
Place of articulation Constriction
Glottal Sounds produced in the glottis
(space between the vocal folds)
Bilabial Airflow is modified by forming a
constriction between the upper and
lower lip
Labio-dental Constriction between the lower lip and
upper teeth
Dental Constriction between the upper teeth
and tip of the tongue
Alveolar Constriction between the blade or tip
of the tongue and the alveolar ridge
Palato-(post-)alveolar Constriction between the front of the
tongue and the hard palate
Velar Constriction between the back of the
tongue and the velum
1.3 Manner of articulation
Stops/plosives (airflow Fricatives (often Approximants
blocked) hissing sounds)
Complete closure Close approximation Open approximation
No friction Friction No friction
Voiced or voiceless Voiced or voiceless Voiced
Glottal stop (not existing Glottal fricative can be
sound): not voiced nor voiceless (still an airflow
voiceless, because you possible)
block the airflow in the
glottis
, Friction: created as the air escapes, because the articulators are very close
together while speaking
Alveolar ridge: hard bony ridge behind the teeth
Hard palate: hard bony ridge/part of the roof of the mouth
Palato-(post-)alveolar: area between the alveolar ridge and hard palate
Velum: soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth (also called ‘soft palate’)
Three-term descriptions
[p] Voiceless bilabial stop
[b] Voiced bilabial stop
[t] Voiceless alveolar stop
[d] Voiced alveolar stop
[k] Voiceless velar stop
[g] Voiced velar stop
(glottal t) Glottal stop
[f] Voiceless labio-dental fricative
[v] Voiced labio-dental fricative
[θ] Voiceless dental fricative
[ð] Voiced dental fricative
[s] Voiceless alveolar fricative
[z] Voiced alveolar fricative
[ʃ] Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative
[tʃ] (chew)
[ʒ] Voiced palato-alveolar fricative
[dʒ]
[x] (loch) Voiceless velar fricative
[M] (whale) Voiceless labial-velar fricative
[h] Voiceless glottal fricative
[j] (yes) Voiced palatal approximant
[r] Voiced alveolar approximant
[w] (wet) Voiced labial-velar approximant
Sound Structure
Module 1, Year 1
Speech sounds are made by modifying an air stream, in this course considered
oral and nasal.
The vocal folds are located in the larynx. They can be open or closed.
Open? air can flow through them from the lungs
Vocal fold vibration the sequence of opening and closing the folds by air and
constant muscular pressure.
Air lying underneath the folds are forcing the folds and muscles to open. Once
this pressure is gone, the muscles care for the folds to close again
1.1Voicing
voiced sounds: sounds which are produced with vocal fold vibration
voiceless sounds: sounds which are produced without this vibration
1.2 Place of articulation
Place of articulation Constriction
Glottal Sounds produced in the glottis
(space between the vocal folds)
Bilabial Airflow is modified by forming a
constriction between the upper and
lower lip
Labio-dental Constriction between the lower lip and
upper teeth
Dental Constriction between the upper teeth
and tip of the tongue
Alveolar Constriction between the blade or tip
of the tongue and the alveolar ridge
Palato-(post-)alveolar Constriction between the front of the
tongue and the hard palate
Velar Constriction between the back of the
tongue and the velum
1.3 Manner of articulation
Stops/plosives (airflow Fricatives (often Approximants
blocked) hissing sounds)
Complete closure Close approximation Open approximation
No friction Friction No friction
Voiced or voiceless Voiced or voiceless Voiced
Glottal stop (not existing Glottal fricative can be
sound): not voiced nor voiceless (still an airflow
voiceless, because you possible)
block the airflow in the
glottis
, Friction: created as the air escapes, because the articulators are very close
together while speaking
Alveolar ridge: hard bony ridge behind the teeth
Hard palate: hard bony ridge/part of the roof of the mouth
Palato-(post-)alveolar: area between the alveolar ridge and hard palate
Velum: soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth (also called ‘soft palate’)
Three-term descriptions
[p] Voiceless bilabial stop
[b] Voiced bilabial stop
[t] Voiceless alveolar stop
[d] Voiced alveolar stop
[k] Voiceless velar stop
[g] Voiced velar stop
(glottal t) Glottal stop
[f] Voiceless labio-dental fricative
[v] Voiced labio-dental fricative
[θ] Voiceless dental fricative
[ð] Voiced dental fricative
[s] Voiceless alveolar fricative
[z] Voiced alveolar fricative
[ʃ] Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative
[tʃ] (chew)
[ʒ] Voiced palato-alveolar fricative
[dʒ]
[x] (loch) Voiceless velar fricative
[M] (whale) Voiceless labial-velar fricative
[h] Voiceless glottal fricative
[j] (yes) Voiced palatal approximant
[r] Voiced alveolar approximant
[w] (wet) Voiced labial-velar approximant
