Describing consonants: the articulatory system, place and manner - energy of articulation (fortis/lens contrast)

20 important questions on Describing consonants: the articulatory system, place and manner - energy of articulation (fortis/lens contrast)

When do you use advanced voicing in English?

Advanced voicing is utilized in specific contexts:
  1. To add emphasis to key points.
  2. When conveying emotions or attitudes.
  3. In storytelling for engaging narrations.
  4. In public speaking to captivate the audience.
  5. In dramatic performances for character portrayal.

What are the types of sound releases?

There are three main types of sound releases:
  1. Nasal release: The soft palate lowers, allowing air to pass through the nasal cavity.
  2. Lateral release: The tongue lowers at the sides, releasing alveolar closure.
  3. Stop sequences: In overlapping stops, the first plosive has inaudible release.
  4. t-voicing: /t/ becomes a voiced flap [ɾ] between vowels in unstressed syllables.

What are the phonetic sounds produced with a complete closure in the vocal tract?

These are called plosives and include sounds like p, b, t, d, k, and g.
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What defines a nasal release in sound?

This type of release occurs when:
  • A plosive is followed by a homorganic nasal
  • The soft palate lowers
  • Airstream exits through the nasal cavity

How is lateral release characterized in English?

Lateral release involves:
  • Alveolar closure being released by lowering the sides of the tongue
  • Examples include words like settle, muddle, paddling
  • Initial devoicing of /l/ after /t/ occurs

Which sounds are produced with an incomplete closure, allowing air to flow?

These are known as fricatives and include f, v, s, z, ʃ, and ʒ h

What are overlapping stops, and how do they function?

Overlapping stops occur when:
  • A plosive is immediately followed by a stop
  • Examples include /pt ɡb kd ɡʧ dɡ/ in words like rugby
  • The first plosive has inaudible release

What is devoicing in phonetic English and when do you use it?

Devoicing refers to the process where voiced sounds become voiceless. This occurs:
  1. At the end of words
    1. used on words with voiced consonants that are in a final position, such as the /d/ in "bad" becoming /t/ in "bat,"
    2. when a voiced consonant is adjacent to a voiceless consonant
  1. In certain phonetic environments
  2. In casual speech
  3. To facilitate easier pronunciation

When does glottal replacement occur in English?

Glottal replacement primarily occurs in the following situations:
  1. Before consonants, such as /p/, /t/, /k/.
  2. In various dialects, notably in Cockney and Estuary English.
  3. As a speech pattern among younger speakers.

What is t-voicing, and how does it manifest?

T-voicing is characterized by:
  • The voiceless alveolar stop /t/ becoming a voiced alveolar flap [ɾ]
  • Occurs between two vowel sounds in unstressed syllables
  • Example word is "butter" sounding like "budder"

What term describes sounds made with a combination of closure and a narrow opening?

Such sounds are referred to as affricates, such as and .

Which sounds involve the airflow in the mmouth being blocked completely for a short time?

These are termed nasals, including sounds like m, n, and ŋ.

What are the sounds produced without any significant closure in the vocal tract?

These are called approximants and include l, r, w, and j.

What do we call sounds made with no vocal cord vibration?

Such sounds are termed voiceless; examples include p, t, and k.

What are vocal sounds created with vocal cord vibration?

These are referred to as voiced sounds, such as b, d, and g.

How are bilabial sounds produced?

Bilabial sounds are produced using both lips, such as in the sounds of "p" and "b", m w.

Fortis/lenis opposition in stops

The fortis stops /p t k ʧ/ have energetic articulation and are voiceless; lenis stops /b d ɡ ʤ/ have weaker articulation and have potential voice

When does pre-glottalisation occur in stops in English?

Pre-glottalisation happens when:
  1. Syllable-final fortis stops are followed by another consonant.
  2. Contexts also include:
    • Before a pause
    • Before /h/
    • Word-finally preceding a vowel
  3. Most affected consonant: /t.
  4. Common words: it, bit, get.

When does syllable-final fortis stops get glottalised? (3)

Glottalisation occurs regularly in specific contexts, such as:
  1. Before another consonant
  2. Before a pause
  3. Before /h/ and word-finally preceding a vowel

Which consonant is most frequently pre-glottalised?

The consonant most affected by pre-glottalisation is:
  • /t/
  • Commonly affects high-frequency words like
    • it
    • that
    • lot

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