The manner of articulation.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 460.

The manner of articulation of consonants is determined by the place of obstruction. The obstruction may be complete, incomplete and momentary.

When the obstruction is complete the organs of speech are in contact and the air stream meets a closure of the mouth or nasal cavities. In case of an incomplete obstruction the active organ of speech moves towards the point of articulation and the air stream goes through the narrowing between them. Momentary obstructions are formed when the tip of the tongue taps quickly several times against the teeth ridge.

According to the manner of articulation consonants may be of four groups: 1. occlusive;

2. constrictive;

3. occlusive-constrictive (affricates);

4. rolled;

1. Occlusive consonants are sounds in the production of which the air stream meets a complete obstruction in mouth. Occlusive noise consonants are called stopsbecause the breath is completely stopped at some point articulation and then it is released with a slight explosion, that is why, they are also called plosives.According to the work of the vocal cords stopsmay be voicedandvoiceless.According to the force of articulation English voiced stops are weak (lenis),voiceless are strong (fortis).

The particular quality of a sonorant depends on the position of the soft palate. Occlusive sonorantsare also made with a complete obstruction but the soft palate is lowered and the air stream escapes through the nose, so they are nasal.

2. Constrictive consonantsare those in the production of which the air stream meets an incomplete obstruction in the resonator, so the air passage is constricted. Both noise consonants and sonorants may be constrictive.

Constrictive noise consonants are called fricatives, i.e., the consonant sounds in the articulation of which the air passage is constricted and the air escapes through the narrowing with friction.

Constrictive sonorantsare also made with an incomplete obstruction but with a rather wide air passage; so tone prevails over noise.

3. Occlusive-constrictive consonants or affricatesare noise consonant sounds produced with a complete obstruction which is slowly released and the air escapes from the mouth with some friction. There are only two occlusive-constrictives in English.

4. Rolled consonantsare sounds pronounced with periodical momentary obstructions when the tip of the tongue taps quickly several times against the teeth ridge and vibrates in the air stream.