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.

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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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