FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in ELS 104: English Phonology and Morphology Module No. 1

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 1

Phonetics: Describing Sounds
Consonants
MODULE OVERVIEW

The course focuses on interactions between phonology and morphology in present

day English and their implications for the shape of the morphology-phonology interface in
natural language. Furthermore, it is an introduction to the study and analysis of the sound
system of the English language: the basic principles that govern organization of human
sounds in linguistic systems, common phonological processes, interactions with
morphology (morpho-phonology), as well as theoretical assumptions which underlie current
approaches to phonological analysis. The goal is an understanding of the basic concepts of
phonological theory and the ability to use basic tools of phonological analysis. Theoretical
information will be combined with practical examples.

In this module, the sounds of the English language will be described. You will learn
about the sounds and their descriptions so that you can have a vocabulary to talk not only
about the sounds but also about the sound systems of the language. In addition, you will be
studying the sounds of speech, phonetics – what sounds are, how they vary and how to
describe them. As a speaker of a language, you will be surprised by how much you know
about manipulating the phonemic system to convey meaning.
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Develop an understanding of phonology as a science of sound systems

2. Understand how the 44 English phonemes are produced and how phonemes
interact with each other in speech

LEARNING CONTENTS Consonant Sounds

1.1 Consonant sounds

The first step in phonetics will be to learn to use a system of written symbols that
linguists have developed for representing the speech sounds of any language. In this
system, one sound is represented by one symbol, and each symbol represents only a
single sound. We all know what the consonants and vowels of the English alphabet are, but
what makes a sound a consonant sound or a vowel sound? What is the difference between
them? A distinction has to do with how we produce them, with the restriction of airflow. A
vowel sound is produced in such a way that the air stream can pass through the vocal tract
without a noticeable obstruction. A consonant sound has some degree of air restriction. A
consonant is a speech sound produced by diversion, obstruction or stoppage of the air at
some part of the breath passage.

There are many consonant sounds in English, but there are only twenty-four
consonant phonemes of English – the sounds that make a difference in the meanings of
words to English speakers.

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Study Guide in ELS 104: English Phonology and Morphology Module No. 1

The version of the IPA that we will use in this module is a representation of the
phonemes of English, the sounds that we recognize as distinct from one another. When we
write words using the IPA, we are doing phonemic transcription. With phonemic
transcription, there’s always a one-to-one correspondence between sounds and symbols. It
is important to remember that these symbols are not the same as letters and that they
represent the sounds of language, not the letters of a writing system.

We will describe each consonant in terms of each of the following:

a. Voicing – controlling the vibration of the vocal cords as air passes through to make
speech sounds. The presence-absence of voice is the vibration or absence of
vibration of the vocal cords as the exhaled air flows out of the breath passage.
b. Place of articulation – the places in the oral cavity where airflow is modified to make
speech sounds. It is the parts and positions of the speech organs
c. Manner of articulation – the way we move and position our lips, tongue, and teeth to
make speech sounds. It is the way the exhaled air is modified as it flows out of the
breath passage.

1.2 Voiced and Voiceless Consonants

All consonants are either voiced to voiceless. The airflow coming out of the lungs
can meet resistance at the larynx or voicebox. The resistance can be controlled by the
different positions of and tensions in the vocal cords or vocal folds, which are two muscular
bands of tissue that stretch from front to back in the larynx, behind the Adam’s apple. When
you’re just breathing, the vocal folds are relaxed and spread apart to allow air to flow freely
from the lungs. When you have the right amount of air and tension of the muscles in the
cords, they vibrate when you speak. This is called voicing.

You can really feel this vocal fold vibration when you are producing a sound that you
can make last several seconds. Put your hand on your throat and make the sound. You can
feel the vibration of your vocal cords – that is voicing.

For example /p/ and /b/ differ only in vocal cord vibration, but because the sounds
are so short, it is harder to feel them.

The various parts of the mouth and throat used to make speech sounds are called
articulators

1.3 Place of Articulation

In addition to the vocal cords, all the other organs of the mouth and throat (lips,
tongue, teeth) have roles in making sounds. It is also possible to describe where in the
vocal tract a constriction – a tightening of muscles – is made.

1.3.1 Bilabial

The bilabial (from the latin bi- meaning ‘two’ and labial meaning ‘lips’) sounds are
made with both lips. The sounds in this group are all made by bringing both lips together or
almost together. The bilabial sounds are underlined in the following winds

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Study Guide in ELS 104: English Phonology and Morphology Module No. 1

Symbol Sample Word

/p/ pink
/b/ ball
/m/ make
/w/ wash
/hw/ which

1.3.2 Labiodental

The two wounds in the labiodental (from the Latin labio ‘lip’ and dent ‘tooth’) group
are made with the lower lip against the upper front teeth. The labiodental sounds are
underscored in the following words

Symbol Sample Word

/f/ fast
/v/ valley

1.3.3 Interdental

The two sounds in the interdental (from the Latin inter ‘between’ and dent ‘tooth’)
group are made with the tip of the tongue between the front teeth. The interdental sounds
are underlined in the following words.

Symbol Sample Word

/ɵ/ thick
/ / though

The name of the /ɵ/ symbol is theta, which itself begins with the voiceless /ɵ/ sound,
and the name for the / / symbol is eth, which itself contains the voiced / / sound.

1.3.4 Alveolar

The sounds in this group are made with the tongue tip at or near the alveolar ridge.
To find your alveolar ridge, put your tongue on the back of your top teeth and slide it
upward. That bump or ridge is the alveolar ridge. The alveolar sounds are underlined in the
following words.

Symbol Sample Word

/t/ teeth
/d/ dog
/s/ sea
/z/ zenith
/n/ nut
/l/ leer
/r/ red, bar

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Study Guide in ELS 104: English Phonology and Morphology Module No. 1

1.3.5 Palatal

The sounds in this group are made with the tongue near your palate, the hard part of
the roof of the mouth. Slide your tongue back from your alveolar ridge to find your palate.
The palatal sounds are underlined in the following words

Symbol Sample Word

/ʃ/ shell
/ʒ/ genre, measure
/ʧ/ cheers
/ʤ/ jam
/j/ yellow

1.3.6 Velar

The sounds in this group are made with the tongue near the velum, the soft part of
the roof of your mouth, behind the palate. The velar sounds are underlined in the following
words.

Symbol Sample Word

/k/ kiss
/g/ gear
/ŋ/ sing

1.3.7 Glottal

This is a sound made at the glottis. The glottal sound is underlined in the following word.

Symbol Sample Word

/h/ happy

1.4 Manner of Articulation

Each consonant sound is also described by means of its manner of articulation, that
is, how the sound is made, especially with respect to airflow.

1.4.1 Stops

The sounds in this group are made by obstructing the airstream completely in the
oral cavity. All the symbols shown here have the same pronunciation as they do in the
example words given with the places of articulation. The stop sounds are underlined in the
following words.

Symbol Sample Word

/p/ pink
/b/ ball
/t/ teeth
/d/ dog
/k/ kiss

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Study Guide in ELS 104: English Phonology and Morphology Module No. 1

/g/ gear
1.4.2 Fricatives

The sounds in this group are made by forming a nearly complete stoppage of the
airstream. The fricative sounds are underlined in the following words.

Symbol Sample Word

/f/ fast
/v/ valley
/ɵ/ thick
// though
/s/ sea
/z/ zenith
/ʃ/ shell
/ʒ/ genre, measure

1.4.3 Affricates

The sounds in this group are made by briefly stopping the airstream completely and
then releasing the articulators slightly so that friction is produced. (So these sounds start as
stops and finish as fricatives). The affricate sounds are underlined in the following words.

1.4.4 Nasals

The sounds in this group are made by lowering the velum and letting the air stream
pass primarily through the nasal cavity. The nasal sounds are underlined in the following
words.

Symbol Sample Word

/m/ make
/n/ nut, bun
/ŋ/ sing

1.4.5 Glides

The sounds in this group are made with only a slight closure of the articulators – if
the vocal tract were any more open, the result would be a vowel. The glide sounds are
underlined in the following words.

Symbol Sample Word

/j/ yellow
/w/ wash
/hw/ which
/h/ happy

1.4.6 Liquids

The sounds in this group result when an obstruction is formed by the articulators but
is not narrow enough to stop the airflow or to cause friction. The /l/ is often described as a
lateral liquid, because for most speakers, the tongue touches the roof of the mouth near the

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alveolar ridge, and air flows around the sides of the tongue. Meanwhile, the /r is described
as a bunched liquid because for most American English speakers, the tongue is just that –
bunched up under the palate – during the production of the sound.

Symbol Sample Word

/l/ leer
/r/ red

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

SUMMARY

In this module, you have learned how linguists describe and categorize speech
sounds – sounds that we produce effortlessly, without even thinking about it. You have
learned a system of transcribing speech using a version of the International Phonetic
Alphabet (IPA).
To listen to how the consonant sounds are produced, watch the video in the link
below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju-KWjGNP-g

REFERENCES

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Study Guide in ELS 104: English Phonology and Morphology Module No. 1

Delahunty, Gerald P. and James J. Garvey. 2010. The English Language: From Sound to
Sense. Colorado: The WAC Clearinghouse

Matthei, Edward and Thomas Roeper. 1983. Understanding and Producing Speech. New
York: Universe Books

Miller, Sue F. 2000. Targeting Pronunciation. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company

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