Marisa Giovani Malieti

18340006

Describing consonants

Trying to learn another language is an important thing to give the best one. Every language have
their own transcription of consonants. In this case, we are going to talk about describing consonants.

First, the transcription of consonant is a way how we know to pronounce the consonant itself as
well as possible.

Second, consonant charts. Everyone know consonant but it’s also important to know how much
the consonants are with their own pronunciation.

Third, stops consonant, this is how we produced sound by complete ‘stopping’ of the airstream
and let it go abruptly.

Fourth, fricatives is how we produced sound by almost blocking the airstream and pushing the
air through a narrow opening. By pushing the air through a type of friction is produced and the
produced sounds are called fricatives. For example, if you put your palm in front of your mouth when
producing fricative sounds, you feel the stream of air being pushed out.

Fifth, affricatives, how sound is produced by a brief stopping followed by an obstructed release
which results in some friction.

Sixth, nasal, how sound is produced by lowering the velum and following the airstream to flow
out through the nose to produce nasal sound. Yule George (2003:46, The study of Language).

Seventh, approximant, how a sound is produced by bringing one articulator in the vocal tract
close to another without, however, causing audible friction. Approximants include semivowels, such as
the y sound in “yes” or the w sound in “war”.

So, in describing of consonants we are also learn about the manner of consonant itself. Its not
talking about chart consonants or transcription of consonants but also the manner itself. We are already
doing it all the time but still not realized about it. That’s why we are talking about the manner such as,
stops consonants, fricatives, affricatives, nasal, approximants. Therefore, we can know more about the
describing of consonants in phonetic.