Is [f] voiced of voiceless? And where and how do you make the sound in your mouth? [click here for answer 15]
Try saying the sound [f] as in 'fat'. Draw it out, so that you are making an extended [fffffff] sound. This is obviously not a stop sound. It is a continuous sound in which noticeable friction is created in the airflow.
Is [f] voiced of voiceless? And where and how do you make the sound in your mouth? [click here for answer 15]
Now try making the sound [s] (as in 'Sam'). Again, draw it out as [sssssss]. Notice how, like [f], [s] is a continuous sound made with clear friction in the airflow.
Is [s] voiced or voicless? And where is your tongue touching, when you make this sound? [click here for answer 16]
Most languages contain several consonant sounds that are made using this ‘continuous with friction’ manner. The shorthand technical term for this kind of sound is fricative (because they are created with friction in the air-flow). So you now know two of the most common manners of articulation: stop and fricative.
Using this term 'fricative' to describe the manner of articulation, what are complete articulatory descriptions for [f] and [s]? [click here for answer 17]
Another voiceless fricative is the sound that occurs at the start of the following English words:
ship, shape, shop shore
Say this sound out loud now. You will find that the sound is voiceless, and that your tongue is touching a bit further back in your mouth than the alveolar ridge (closer to your palate). Linguists usually call this region the alveo-palatal region (because it is between your alveolar ridge and your palate). Like [f] and [s], this new ‘alveo-palatal’ sound is voiceless and a fricative. (Note: some linguists use slightly different terminology for this region, including 'post-alveolar'.)
Using the terms 'alveo-palatal' and 'fricative', what do you think would be a complete articulatory description for this sound? ]? [click here for answer 18]
Say this new sound again, i.e. the voiceless alveo-palatal fricative as in ship, shape, etc.
In English, this sound is usually written with two letters, as 'sh'. In phonetic symbols, however, it is absolutely forbidden to represent this sound using the symbols [sh]!
Can you think exactly why phonetic spelling must use a single symbol, instead of using two symbols, like [sh], for this sound? [click here for answer 19]
Since ordinary spelling does not contain a single unique symbol for this sound, phonetic alphabets usually introduce a new symbol. The International Phonetic Association’s standards suggest this symbol: [ʃ]
[Link : This poem illustrates the need for each sound to be represented by a single symbol]
Although the IPA officially uses [ʃ] for a voiceless alveo-palatal fricative, you should also be aware that many linguists--especially North American linguists, and linguists working on North American languages--systematically choose to use a different symbol for the same sound. Americanists commonly use the following symbol: [š](that tick above the 's' is called a 'hatcheck'). There is no difference in the sounds, i.e. [š] = [ʃ] = voiceless alveo-palatal fricative.
There are a few other symbols where Americanists commonly depart from the standards of the International Phonetic Association. Most other common consonants are the same for both the IPA and Americanist linguists. (The Americanist symbol may exist because it was easier to type an 's' on the typewriter and then add a diacritic.)
Now please consider the single consonant sound that begins the following English words: think, thought, thimble, thistle, thorough, thanks. (If you are not a native speaker of English, it may be helpful to ask a native speaker to say these sounds out loud for you, or check the link at the bottom of this page).
This sound is made by putting the tip of your tongue in between your upper and lower teeth. You do not have to put the tongue very far in between--basically, you just touch the tip of your tongue to your upper teeth, so that the tip is going just a little bit between the teeth.
The technical term for a sound made with your tongue between your teeth is 'inter-dental'. The symbol used for this sound is from the Greek alphabet (where it actually represents the same sound): [θ] (pronounced 'theta', which also starts with [θ]).
Based on the discussion above, can you give a complete articulatory description of [θ]. [click here for answer 20]
In English, [θ] is always spelled 'th'. Why introduce a special symbol, instead of just representing it with two symbols, e.g. [th]? [click here for answer 21]
Does the English word 'them' begin with [θ]? [click here for answer 22]
Please use the chart below to review the sounds you have analyzed so far. Practice making each sound three times, focussing on each of the components (voicing, place, and manner) separately.
Please do the 'Thought Exercises' below. It is important to say the sounds out loud as you analyze the articulation; do not whisper.
If you are a non-native speaker, you may wish to ask a native speaker to say the sounds out loud for you, especially for the inter-dental fricatives.
Where is each of the following sounds made? (i) [p], (ii) [f], (iii) [s], (iv) [θ], (v) [ʃ] [click here for answer 24]
What 'manner of articulation' is used to make the following sounds? (i) [t], (ii) [s], (iii) [θ], (iv) [ʃ] (v) [k] [click here for answer 25]
What is the state of the vocal folds for each of the following sounds? (i) [t], (ii) [d], (iv) [θ], (v) [ʃ] (vi) [g] [click here for answer 26]
What is the phonetic symbol for the FIRST sound in each of the following words? (i) 'pig', (ii) 'Bob', (iii) 'ship', (iv) 'think', (v) 'throw' [click here for answer 27]
Give a complete articulatory description for the following sounds (i) [f], (ii) [k], (iii) [θ], (iv) [ʃ] [click here for answer 28]
