SUMMARY OF CONSONANTS

1 Definition A consonant is a sound in spoken language that is characterized by a closure or stricture sufficient to cause audible
turbulence, at one or more points along the vocal tract.
2 Features to distinguish
- The manner of articulation is the method that the consonant is articulated, such as nasal, stop, or approximant

- The place of articulation is where in the vocal tract the articulators of the consonant act Additionally, there may
be a simultaneous narrowing at another place of articulation.

- The phonation method of a consonant is whether or not the vocal cords are vibrating during articulation of a
consonant. When the vocal cords are vibrating, the consonant is voiced; when they're not, it's voiceless.
Aspiration is also a feature of phonation.

- The airstream mechanism is how the air moves through the vocal tract during articulation.
3 A Table Of IPA Symbols