Answer to Question #235302 in English for KAT

Question

Define phonology. Discuss places and manner of articulation of English consonants?

Answer 1

English Sounds

Phonology is a linguistics branch dealing with sounds systems, which may exclude or include phonetics between languages or within one language (Davenport & Hannahs, 2020). Phonology analyses the organization of speech sounds in mind and how they convey meaning.

           Any speech sound characterized by an articulation where the vocal tract closes and narrows or there is the production of a partial blockage of airflow is known as a consonant. The place of articulation, manner of articulation, and presence or absence of nasalization voicing, and aspiration help classify consonants (Davenport & Hannahs, 2020). The place articulation is the contact point where the vocal tract obstruction occurs between an active articulator, a passive location, and an articulatory gesture. The manner of articulation is the way the airflow obstruction is accomplished.

           Various terms to describe the place of articulation. Bilabial are sounds formed when both lips come together and examples include /b/, /p/ and /m/ (Beňuš, 2021). Labiodental sounds form when the upper teeth and bottom lip touch and include /v/ and /f/ (Beňuš, 2021). Alveolar sounds form when the tongue touches the alveolar or hard ridge behind the upper teeth (Beňuš, 2021). Examples include fricative sounds like /z/ and English sounds such as /d/, /n/ and /t/. Dental sounds form when the tongue touches the upper teeth, examples being /d/ and /t (Beňuš, 2021)/. When the tongue curls behind the ridge in the alveolar post-alveolar sounds form, such as 'sh' in words like ship (Beňuš, 2021). Palato-alveolar sounds form when the tongue contacts the mouth roof and alveolar ridge with examples such as /tʃ/ (Beňuš, 2021). Palatol sounds such as /j/ form when the middle of the tongue goes up against the mouth's hard palate (Beňuš, 2021). Velar sounds such as /k/ and /g/ form when the tongue is against the velum (Beňuš, 2021). Interdental sounds such as /θ/ form when the tongue’s tip protrudes between the lower and upper teeth (Beňuš, 2021). Uvular sounds like/r/ in French form when the tongue's root raises against the velum (Beňuš, 2021). Uvular sounds are not found in English. Retroflex sounds involve the tongue curling back, producing a rolling sound like/r/ against the alveolar ridge (Beňuš, 2021). Glottal sounds form from vocal folds form space and can be heard in words such as uh-huh (Beňuš, 2021).

           Manner of consonant sounds involves five principal types. In plosives articulation, with examples such as /p/, /b/, /t/, /k/, /d/ and /g/ , two speech organs briefly close stopping the airstream and then release a quick burst(Davenport & Hannahs,2020). Fricatives articulation involves narrowing the airstream by two speech organs, causing friction as the sound passes through (Beňuš, 2021). Examples include /s/ and /f/. In affricates articulation, the airstream stops, and the sound releases slowly, partially with friction (Beňuš, 2021). Examples of affricates include /tʃ/ and /dʒ/. Nasals articulation involves diverting the airstream through the nasal cavity resulting from the soft palate lowering and locking the oral cavity (Davenport & Hannahs, 2020). An example include /m/ in 'me'. In approximants, two speech organs approach, allowing air to flow continuously without friction (Davenport & Hannahs, 2020). Examples of approximants include /I/. Lastly, in vowel sounds, the articulation manner is shaped in two ways; lip posture and tongue height (Beňuš, 2021). The lips in a spread or rounded posture produce vowels such as /I/. In the case of the tongue, it may be high or low in the mouth to form different vowels.

References

Beňuš, Š. (2021). English Consonants. In Investigating Spoken English (pp. 93-113). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Davenport, M., & Hannahs, S. J. (2020). Introducing Phonetics and phonology. Routledge.