The Role of Manner of Articulation in Speech: Understanding Consonants and Vowels

In speech, consonants are created by partially or completely blocking the vocal tract, while vowels are produced without obstruction.

The human vocal tract uses various articulators to produce consonant sounds. These include the tongue, lips, teeth, hard and soft palate, mandible, maxilla, and uvula. To better understand the vocal tract and its articulators, refer to this diagram:

• tongue
• lips
• teeth
• hard palate
• soft palate
• mandible
• maxilla
• uvula

Consonants can be categorized into two main groups: obstruents and sonorants. Obstruents, such as /p/, /t/, /k/, /d/, and /b/, are produced by blocking the airflow in the vocal tract. Sonorants, such as /j/, /w/, /m/, and /n/, are generated without any obstruction.

The presence or absence of vocal cord vibration also plays a role in manner of articulation. Voiceless sounds, like those made during whispering, are produced without vocal cord vibration. Examples include /f/ and /s/, where the lack of vibration can be felt in the Adam's apple. Voiced sounds, like /b/ and /d/, are created with vocal cord vibration, which can also be felt in the Adam's apple.

When discussing consonants and manner of articulation, the place of articulation is also important to consider - where in the vocal tract the sounds are produced.

Place of Articulation and Its Impact on Manner of Articulation

The placement of consonants in the vocal tract can be categorized into several areas:

• bilabial (using both lips)
• labiodental (using lips and teeth)
• dental (using tongue and teeth)
• alveolar (using tongue and alveolar ridge)
• postalveolar (using tongue and palate)
• velar (using back of tongue and soft palate)
• glottal (using vocal cords and glottis)

Now, let's take a closer look at the different types of manner of articulation.

The Five Types of Consonants

In the English language, there are five main categories of consonants: plosives or stops, fricatives, affricates, nasals, and approximants.

Plosives, such as /p/, /t/, and /k/, involve a complete closure followed by a sudden release of air in the vocal tract.

Fricatives, like /f/, /s/, and /h/, are created by allowing a narrow stream of air to pass through a small opening in the vocal tract, resulting in a hissing or buzzing sound.

Affricates, such as /tʃ/ and /dʒ/, are a combination of a plosive and a fricative sound.

Nasals, such as /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/, involve lowering the soft palate to allow air to flow through the nose.

Approximants are sounds that are similar to vowels, as they involve continuous airflow with minimal constriction in the vocal tract. These include the bilabial /w/ and palatal /j/ sounds.

Semi-vowels, like /w/ and /j/, have a vowel-like sound but are non-syllabic, meaning they do not have a nucleus for a syllable.

The following chart summarizes common examples of manner of articulation in English:

• plosives: /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /p/, /b/
• fricatives: /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /θ/, /ð/
• affricates: /tʃ/, /dʒ/
• nasals: /m/, /n/, /ŋ/
• approximants: /w/, /j/, /l/, /r/

It's worth noting that the pronunciation of some consonants may vary slightly from person to person. This is because phonemes, or speech sounds, can differ slightly between individuals and are idealized representations of real-world speech sounds.

Key Takeaways for Understanding Manner of Articulation

In conclusion, manner of articulation refers to how airflow is released through the vocal tract by the articulators and plays a significant role in producing consonant sounds.

There are two main groups of sounds in speech: consonants and vowels, and two other important categories: obstruents and sonorants.

There are five types of consonants: plosives, fricatives, affricates, nasals, and approximants.

Approximants have a vowel-like nature but are considered consonants as they are non-syllabic.

Understanding Manners of Articulation: Plosives and Fricatives

In order to properly understand speech sounds, it is important to recognize the complexity of how they are produced. While there may be slight variations in pronunciation among individuals, it is helpful to understand the general categories and principles of manners of articulation.

Manners of articulation refer to the different ways in which sounds are created by the mouth, tongue, and other speech organs. Two common examples of these manners are plosives and fricatives.

• Plosives: This manner of articulation involves a quick burst of air being released through a closure in the mouth. In simpler terms, it means that the sound is made by a sudden release of air after a stoppage.
• Fricatives: Unlike plosives, fricatives produce friction when air is released. This means that the sound is created by a continuous, narrow flow of air through a partially closed stricture in the mouth.

To better comprehend these terms, let's examine some examples. The sound "p" in "pill" is a plosive. When pronouncing this sound, there is a brief stoppage or closure of the lips followed by a sudden release of air. On the other hand, the sound "s" in "sister" is a fricative. When making this sound, air is continuously released through a small gap between the tongue and the roof of the mouth, resulting in a hissing or buzzing sound.

In summary, plosives and fricatives are two distinct manners of articulation that describe how sounds are made in speech. While plosives involve a stoppage and sudden release of air, fricatives create friction through a narrow passage of air. Having a grasp on these concepts can assist in improving our comprehension and pronunciation of speech.