In English, consonant phonemes are produced by obstructing or restricting the airflow in the vocal tract. The places of articulation refer to the specific points in the vocal tract where the obstruction occurs. There are several places of articulation for English consonant phonemes, each producing a distinct sound. These places of articulation include the lips, teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, velum, and glottis.
One of the most common places of articulation in English is the lips. Consonants produced with the lips include bilabial sounds, where both lips come together to create the obstruction. Examples of bilabial consonants in English include /p/, /b/, and /m/. The /p/ sound is produced by closing the lips and releasing a burst of air, as in the word "pat." The /b/ sound is similar, but voiced, as in the word "bat." The /m/ sound is produced by closing the lips and allowing the air to pass through the nose, as in the word "mat."
Another common place of articulation in English is the teeth. Consonants produced with the teeth include dental sounds, where the tongue makes contact with the upper front teeth. Examples of dental consonants in English include /θ/ and /ð/. The /θ/ sound is produced by placing the tip of the tongue against the upper front teeth and releasing a burst of air, as in the word "think." The /ð/ sound is similar, but voiced, as in the word "this."
The alveolar ridge is another important place of articulation in English. Consonants produced with the alveolar ridge include alveolar sounds, where the tongue makes contact with the ridge behind the upper front teeth. Examples of alveolar consonants in English include /t/, /d/, /n/, /s/, and /z/. The /t/ sound is produced by placing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge and releasing a burst of air, as in the word "top." The /d/ sound is similar, but voiced, as in the word "dog." The /n/ sound is produced by closing the velum and allowing the air to pass through the nose, as in the word "not." The /s/ sound is produced by placing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge and releasing a stream of air, as in the word "sit." The /z/ sound is similar, but voiced, as in the word "zip."
The hard palate is another place of articulation in English. Consonants produced with the hard palate include palatal sounds, where the tongue makes contact with the hard palate. Examples of palatal consonants in English include /ʃ/ and /ʒ/. The /ʃ/ sound is produced by raising the middle of the tongue towards the hard palate and releasing a stream of air, as in the word "shoe." The /ʒ/ sound is similar, but voiced, as in the word "measure."
The velum is another important place of articulation in English. Consonants produced with the velum include velar sounds, where the back of the tongue makes contact with the velum. Examples of velar consonants in English include /k/, /g/, and /ŋ/. The /k/ sound is produced by raising the back of the tongue towards the velum and releasing a burst of air, as in the word "cat." The /g/ sound is similar, but voiced, as in the word "go." The /ŋ/ sound is produced by closing the velum and allowing the air to pass through the nose, as in the word "sing."
The glottis is the final place of articulation in English. Consonants produced with the glottis include glottal sounds, where the vocal cords are used to create the obstruction. Examples of glottal consonants in English include /h/ and /ʔ/. The /h/ sound is produced by forcing air through the vocal cords, as in the word "hat." The /ʔ/ sound is produced by closing the glottis and releasing a burst of air, as in the Cockney pronunciation of "butter."
In addition to these specific places of articulation, English consonant phonemes can also be classified based on their manner of articulation. Manner of articulation refers to how the airflow is obstructed or restricted in the vocal tract. Common manners of articulation in English include stops, fricatives, affricates, nasals, and approximants.
Stops are sounds where the airflow is completely blocked and then released. Examples of stops in English include /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, and /g/. Fricatives are sounds where the airflow is partially obstructed, creating friction. Examples of fricatives in English include /f/, /v/, /θ/, /ð