Review generated flashcards

Sign up for free
You have reached the daily AI limit

Start learning or create your own AI flashcards

Contents
Contents
Table of contents

    Jump to a key chapter

      In this article, we'll look at:

      • The definition of 'place of articulation'
      • The different places of articulation
      • A chart of the different places of articulation
      • Different types of consonants

      Voicing refers to if a consonant sound is voiced or voiceless (like whispering).

      Manner of articulation refers to the way in which articulators release the airflow to create a consonant sound.

      Place of articulation: definition

      The place of articulation refers to where the articulators (tongue, teeth, lips or glottis) make contact in the vocal tract to create consonant sounds. Let's look at the process of consonant production to see where the place of articulation fits in.

      The process of consonant production is:

      1. Air builds up in the lungs;
      2. Air then moves toward the trachea, larynx and pharynx;
      3. The diaphragm and chest muscles control airflow;
      4. The vocal cords in the larynx, start a vibration cycle which builds up air pressure and generates acoustic waves;
      5. The airflow can go either through the oral cavity or the nasal cavity, depending on the sound.
      6. Finally, the air is modified by the articulators (lips, tongue, teeth and palate).

      The gap between the vocal cords is called the glottis and can be either closed (so no air passes through), partially open (making the vocal folds vibrate to make “voiced sounds”) or open (the airflow passes through with no vibration to make “Voiceless sounds”).

      Places of articulation

      Speech sounds are separated according to their place of articulation and manner of articulation. There are eight places of articulation:

      • Bilabial: contact between the lips;
      • Labio-dental: contact between the lower lip and the upper teeth;
      • Dental: contact between the tip of the tongue and the area just behind the upper teeth;
      • Alveolar: contact between the tongue and the Alveolar ridge (this is the ridged area between the upper teeth and the hard palate);
      • Palatal: contact between the tongue and the hard palate or Alveolar ridge;
      • Post-alveolar: contact between the tongue and the back of the Alveolar ridge;
      • Velar: contact between the tongue and the soft palate;
      • Glottal: restriction of the airflow at the glottis.

      Place of articulation: chart

      Take a look at the chart below for the eight different places of articulation.

      Place of Articulation, Place of articulation diagram, StudySmarterFig. 1 - There are eight different places of articulation.

      Place of articulation: coronal, dorsal and labial consonants

      Let's now look in more detail at how we group these consonants in places of articulation:

      1. Coronal

      Coronal consonants are speech sounds made with the most flexible part of the mouth: the tongue. Coronal consonants can be bilabial, dental, labiodental, alveolar and post-alveolar.

      There are four further sub-categories:

      • Apical: made by the tip of the tongue;
      • Laminal: made by the blade of the tongue;
      • Domed: made when the tongue bends upwards;
      • Sub-apical: made at the bottom of the tongue.

      In English, the coronal consonants are / l, s, z, n, d, t /. It is good to be aware of coronal consonants, especially if you are learning a new language because it helps to know which part of the tongue to use.

      2. Dorsal

      Dorsal consonants are speech sounds created with the tongue, but they use the body of the tongue rather than the tip or the blade. Dorsal consonants include palatal and velar consonants.

      Because of the flexibility of the tongue's dorsum (its back), we can reach a wide area in the roof of the mouth: from the hard palate (where we form the palatal consonants) to the velum (where we form the velar consonants).

      In we have four types of dorsal consonants in English:

      • Voice palatal approximant: made with the middle or back of the tongue touching the hard palate.
      • Voiced velar nasal: made with the back of the tongue touching the soft palate, with airflow escaping from the nose.
      • Voiced velar plosive: made with the back of the tongue touching the soft palate and the vibration of the vocal cords.
      • Voiceless velar plosive: made with the back of the tongue touching the soft palate with no vibration of the vocal cords.

      3. Labial

      Labial consonants are speech sounds created when one or both lips interact as active articulators. As we have seen before, labial consonant divide in bilabial and labio-dental.

      There are five ways of making labials in English:

      • Voiceless bilabial plosive: articulated with both lips and with no vibration of the vocal cords.
      • Voiced bilabial plosive: articulated with both lips and with the vibration of the vocal cords.
      • Labiodental nasal: articulated with the lower lip and upper teeth, with the airflow escaping through the nose.
      • Voiceless labiodental fricative: articulated with the lower lip and upper teeth, with no vibration of the vocal cords.
      • Voiced labiodental fricative: articulated with the lower lip and upper teeth, with the vibration of the vocal cords.

      Place of Articulation - Key takeaways

      • Place of articulation, or point of articulation, is about the points of contact between the articulators and the vocal tract.
      • There are eight places of articulation: bilabial, labiodental, dental, alveolar, post-alveolar, palatal, glottal, and velar.
      • Coronal consonants are speech sounds made with the most flexible part of the mouth: the tongue. They include bilabial, dental, labiodental, alveolar and post-alveolar.
      • Dorsal consonants are speech sounds created with the tongue, but they use the body of the tongue rather than the tip or the blade. Dorsal consonants include palatal and velar consonants.
      • Labial consonants are speech sounds created when one or both lips interact as active articulators. As we have seen before, labial consonant divide in bilabial and labio-dental.
      Frequently Asked Questions about Place of Articulation

      What do we mean by place of articulation?

      We refer to the place of articulation where the articulators in the vocal tract make contact (or not) to create the sound of the consonant.

      How many categories of the place of articulation do we have? What are they?

      We have eight categories in the places of articulation: bilabial, labio-dental, dental, alveolar, velar, post-alveolar, glottal, and palatal.

      What is a bilabial consonant?

      A bilabial consonant sound is created by the lips making contact with each other.

      What is a glottis consonant?

      The glottis consonant is the sound created by the airflow cutting in the vocal cords.

      What do we call a velar consonant?

       A velar consonant sound is created by the tongue making contact with the soft palate.

      Save Article

      Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

      Choose the correct answer - Which ones are velar consonant sounds?

      Choose the right answer - Which one of the below consonants is labio-dental?

      Which of these refers to where the articulators make contact in the vocal tract?

      Next

      Discover learning materials with the free StudySmarter app

      Sign up for free
      1
      About StudySmarter

      StudySmarter is a globally recognized educational technology company, offering a holistic learning platform designed for students of all ages and educational levels. Our platform provides learning support for a wide range of subjects, including STEM, Social Sciences, and Languages and also helps students to successfully master various tests and exams worldwide, such as GCSE, A Level, SAT, ACT, Abitur, and more. We offer an extensive library of learning materials, including interactive flashcards, comprehensive textbook solutions, and detailed explanations. The cutting-edge technology and tools we provide help students create their own learning materials. StudySmarter’s content is not only expert-verified but also regularly updated to ensure accuracy and relevance.

      Learn more
      StudySmarter Editorial Team

      Team English Teachers

      • 5 minutes reading time
      • Checked by StudySmarter Editorial Team
      Save Explanation Save Explanation

      Study anywhere. Anytime.Across all devices.

      Sign-up for free

      Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.

      Join over 22 million students in learning with our StudySmarter App

      The first learning app that truly has everything you need to ace your exams in one place

      • Flashcards & Quizzes
      • AI Study Assistant
      • Study Planner
      • Mock-Exams
      • Smart Note-Taking
      Join over 22 million students in learning with our StudySmarter App
      Sign up with Email