VOWEL ARTICULATION

VOWEL CONSONANT
produced with no produced with a narrow
oral obstruction or complete closure in
the vocal tract
more sonorous less sonorous
syllabic non-syllabic

Vowels differ in some ways:

~ quality →determined by the particular configuration of
the vocal tract (lips and tongue)
 different parts of the tongue may be raised or
lowered
 the lips may be pursed or spread
~ vowel sounds carry pitch and loudness → vowels may
be long (tense) or short (lax)

Vowels are classified according to

1. the height of the tongue (low>< high)
2. the parts of the tongue (front, center, back)
3. the position of the lips (pursed, spread)

VOWEL CHART

front center back

high

mid high

mid

low high

low
DIPHTHONG ARTICULATION

There two types of diphthongs:

1. centring diphthongs → the tongue moves quickly
toward the center of the mouth (the final phase of
the articulation)
e.g. iə, eə, uə
2. closing diphthongs → the tongue starts in a relatively
low position and ends up in a high position either in
palatal area at the mouth or in the velar – the back
part of the mouth
e.g. ending in ı: eı, aı, ı
ending in u: əu, au

DIPHTHONG CHART
Quiz

1. Describe the consonants in the word “skinflint” using the chart below
by filling in all four columns. Number one is done for you.

Voiced or Place of Oral or nasal Manner of

voiceless articulation articulation
s voiceless alveolar oral fricative
k
n
f
l
t

2. a. Circle the words that begin with a bilabial consonant.

mat gnat sat bat pat
b. Circle the words that begin with an interdental consonant.
pie cat tie thigh they
c. Circle the word that ends with an affricate consonant.
edge bang deaf pull hide

3.
Quiz (A)

1. Give each sound an example of words.

~θ ~ t∫ ~æ ~ə ~ uə

2. Describe the consonants in the word “phonetics” using the

chart below by filling in all four columns.

Voiced or Oral or nasal Place of Manner of

voiceless articulation articulation
f
n
t
k
s

3. a. Circle the words that begin with a bilabial consonant.

mat gnat sat bat pat
b. Circle the words that begin with an interdental consonant.
table tie thigh tight thin
c. Circle the words that end with an affricate consonant.
edge bang deaf pull hide