Place of articulation

Introduction

Place of Articulation in articulatory phonetics refers to the point in the vocal tract where a consonant sound is produced. This is the site where an obstruction occurs during the production of consonant sounds, involving an interaction between an active articulator (usually a part of the tongue) and a passive location (often a part of the roof of the mouth). Understanding the place of articulation is crucial for comprehending how different consonant sounds are produced and is a key aspect in the study of phonetics.

Overview

• Articulatory Phonetics: This field of phonetics deals with the physical production of speech sounds.
• Consonants: Sounds produced with some degree of closure or constriction in the vocal tract.

Articulators and Vocal Tract Locations

• Active Articulators: Typically include parts of the tongue or lips.
• Passive Locations: Commonly involve areas in the roof of the mouth like the alveolar ridge, hard palate, or velum.

Diagram of Places of Articulation in the Vocal Tract

Classification of Consonant Sounds by Place of Articulation

• Bilabial: Produced with both lips (e.g., [p], [b]).
• Labiodental: Involving the upper teeth and lower lip (e.g., [f], [v]).
• Dental: Produced with the tongue against the upper teeth (e.g., [θ], [ð]).
• Alveolar: Produced with the tongue against or close to the alveolar ridge (e.g., [t], [d]).
• Post-alveolar: Articulated with the tongue just behind the alveolar ridge (e.g., [ʃ], [ʒ]).
• Palatal: Produced with the body of the tongue against the hard palate (e.g., [j]).
• Velar: Articulated with the back of the tongue against the soft palate or velum (e.g., [k], [g]).
• Glottal: Produced using the glottis (e.g., [h]).

Significance in Linguistics and Phonetics

• Understanding the place of articulation is essential for linguistic analysis, phonetic transcription, and language learning.
• It helps in distinguishing between different consonant sounds in languages.

Teaching and Learning Articulation

• Phonetics education often includes training on the articulatory positions and movements for producing various sounds.
• Speech therapy may focus on correcting articulation disorders by adjusting the place of articulation.

Cross-Linguistic Variations

• The exact places of articulation can vary slightly across different languages and dialects, contributing to accent differences.

External Links

• International Phonetic Association: Full IPA Chart
• UCLA Linguistics: Places of Articulation

See Also

• International Phonetic Alphabet
• Consonant
• Vocal tract
• Speech production.

Place of articulation Resources
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