THE ENGLISH CONSONANTS

Definition

A consonant is a sound produced by a partial or complete obstruction of the air stream.

It is classified by:

-Place of articulation;

-Manner of articulation;

-Voicing.

/ b /

-It is a billabial, plossive and voiced consonant;

e.g.: belong /bɪ´lɔng/ big /bɪg /

/ d /

-It is an alveolar, plosive and voiced consonant (devoiced at the end of a word);

e.g.: Deep /di:p/ Independence /ɪndɪ´pɜndəns/

/ f /

-It is a Labiodental, fricative and devoiced consonant;

e.g.: Find / faɪnd/

Laugh /læf /

/ g /

- It is a velar, plosive and voiced consonant (devoiced at the end of a word);

e.g.: Good /gʊd /

Forgive /fər´gɪv/

/ h /

-It is a glottal, plosive and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.: Hello /hələʊ/ Behind /bɪ´haɪnd/

/ k /

-It is a velar, plosive and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.: Cot / kɒt/

Pick /piːk/

*It can be aspirated at the bigining of a word

/ L /

-It is an alveolar, lateral and voiced consonant;

e.g.: Lip /lɪp/

Colonial /kə´ləʊniəl

/ m /

-It is a bilabial, nasal and voiced consonant ( it may be unvoiced after /s/);

e.g.: Mine /maɪn/

Smart /sma:t/

/ n /

- It is an alveolar nasal and voiced consonant (it may be unvoiced after /s/);

e.g.: Need /ni:d/

Snow /snəʊ/

/ ŋ /

- It is velar, nasal and voiced consonant;

e.g.: Sink /sɪŋk /

Long /lɒŋ/

/ p /

-It is a bilabial, plosive and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.:Park /paːk/

Soup /suːp/

*it can be aspirated at the bigining of a word

/ r /

-It is a post alveolar, an approximant and voiced;

e.g.: Red /red/

Party /paːti/

/ s /

- It is an alveolar, fricative and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.: Simple /´sɪmpl/

Describe /dɪskraɪb/

/ t /

-It is an alveolar, plosive and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.: Tongue /tʌŋ/

support /sə´pɔ:t/

*It can be aspirated at the bigining of a word

/ v /

-It is a labiodental, fricative and voiced consonant;

e.g.: Vizit / vɪzɪt/

Convince /kən´vɪns/

/ z /

-It is na alveolar, fricative and voiced consonant;

e.g.: Zoo /zuː/

Lazy /leɪzɪ/

/ w /

-It is a bilabial , approximant and voiced consonant (it is also considered “sime vowel”);

e.g.: Wood /wʊd/

Hallway /hɔːlweɪ/

/ j /

- It is a palatal, approximant and voiced consonant (it is also considered “sime vowel”);

e.g.: Yes / jes/

Usual /´juːʒuəl/

/ ʃ /

-It is a post alveolar, fricative and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.: Shop /ʃɒp/

Wash /wɒʃ/

* It can be represented by š (specially

American authors)

/ ʒ /

It is a post alveolar, fricative and voiced consonant;

e.g.: Measure /´meʒər/

Beige /beɪʒ/

* It can be represented by ž (specially American authors)

/ tʃ /

- It is a post alveolar, affricative and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.:Church /tʃɜːtʃ/

Chubby /´tʃʌbɪ/

* It can be represented by č (specially American authors)

/ dʒ /

- It is a post alveolar, affricative and voiced consonant;

e.g.: Judge /dʒʌdʒ/

Large /laːdʒ/

* It can be represented by ǰ (specially American authors)

/ θ /

- It is a dental, fricative and unvoiced consonant;

e.g.: Therapy /´θerəpi/

Thesis /´θiːsɪs/

/ ð /

- It is a dental, fricative and voiced consonant;

e.g.: That /ðæt/

Than /ðən/

Reference

Roach, P. 1999: English Phonetics and Phonology, Second Edition: A pratical Course.Cambridge University Press, 0- 521-40718-4

Souhila, M., & Mahiout, N.(2008).

Pronunciation and Spelling: All streams and levels. Dar El Hadith Lil- Kitab, 978994723254 5.

Thank you!

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