The Description of Speech Sounds

The Description of Speech Sounds

    1. Vowels and Consonants

It is usual to divide all speech sounds into two broad categories – vowels and consonants. In the production of vowels, the air comes out freely through the mouth. There is no closure of the air-passage and no narrowing of the passage that would cause audible friction. All other sounds are called consonants.

     2.  Description of Consonants

While describing consonants we have to indicate

•    The natural of the air-stream:

  (a)   Whether it is pulmonic ( set in motion by  the lungs ) or not

  (b)  Whether it is egressive (coming out) or ingressive.

•  Whether the sound is voiced or voiceless, that is,
•  Whether the vocal cords vibrate or not.
•  Whether the soft palate is raised or lowered, that is,

Whether the air-stream passes

(a)    Through the mouth only ( oral sounds) ;

(b)    Through the nose only ( nasal sounds); or

(c)    Through both the mouth and the nose (nasalized sounds).

•     The place of articulation, that is, where the closure or narrowing takes place.
•    The manner of articulation, that is the kind of closure or narrowing.

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