UNIT 4 THE CONSONANTS OF ENGLISH Structure Ob,jectives Introduction The Consonant Phonemes of English 4.2.1 The choice of a model 4.2.2 The phonetic symbols 4.2.3 Classification of consonants on n chart. Detailed Description of Consonants 4.3.1 Plosives 4.3.2 Afkicates 4.3.3 Nasals 4.3.4 Fricatives 4.3.5 Lateral Approximants 4.3.6 Approximants Consonant Clusters 4.4.1 Introduction The Syllable 4.5.1. Division ofwords into syllables 4.5.2. The structure of the syllable 4.5.3. Types of the syllable Initial and Final Consonant Clusters 4.6.1 Initial two consonant clusters , 4.6.2 Initial three-consonant clusters 4.6.3 Final two-consonant clusters 4.6.4 Final I'our-consonant clustcrs Let Us Sum Up Key Words Exercises Answers to Exercises 4.0 OBJECTIVES In this Unit we shall describe the consonant phonemes of English and the allophones of each phoneme. We shall introduce you to the sy~nbols(given in three dictionaries) for the consonant phonemes of English. These are used to indicate the pronunciation of words. We shall look at sequences of consonants or consonant clusters in the next higher unit i.e. the syllable. We shall also discuss the nature of syllable and the structure of the syllable in English. After completing this .unit you should be able to (i) Identify the consonant phonemes of English and phonemic contrasts. (ii) Describe the consonant phonemes using the three-term label. (iii) Identify the allophones of each consonant phoneme in words and in connected speech. (iv) Give the syllable structure of English words. (v) Indicate the syllable division in English words. 4.1 INTRODUCTION In Unit 3, we familiarised ourselves with the difference between the written word and 40 the spoken word We discussed the lack of correspondence between spelling and 7 rings thing Englislr Phonetics I lane spilt bell and Plronologyd f fish raft stiff veil sleeves hive think months width they breathed bathe soap test cross zero confi~sion crows shop brushed flash confusion beige heart behave ------- red brave watch sweat yacht news 4.2.3 Let us naw plat these consonants on the chart below: Table 1 Classification of Consonants - P Fricative fv 08 sz h - 13 ' Approxi- w I' .I lnant Lateral I Approxi- lnant , Look at the Table carefully. You will find that when classified according to the manner of articulation there are in English. 6 plosives 2 Affricates 3 nasals 9 fricatives 3 Approximanls of which /w/and /j/ are generally called semi-vowels 1 Lateral Approxiinant When classified according to the place of articulation there are in English 4 ailabial consonants 2 Labio-dental consonqnts {I 2 Dental consonants 6 Alveolar consonants 1 Post-alveolar consonant , 4 Palato-alveolar consonants . 1 Palatal cansonant 3 Velar consonants 1 Glottal consonant Nins of the twenty f~urconsouants are voiceless, the remaining are voiced. 1 We shall describe the consonants of English in greater detail with reference to that I 4 2 determined by the manner of articulation, I ti The Consotinnts of English 4.3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CQNSONANTS 4.3.1 Plosives Tliere are three stages in tlie production of a plosive. Durjng tlie first stage Ihe. al-ticulatory organs come togettier to make a firm contact with each other: During tlie second stage the air from tlie lungs is conipressed behind tlie closure. Dul'ing the third stage tlie air is released with explosion owing to tlie sudden parting of tlie articulatory organs. English (RP) has six plosives Bilabial /p,bl Alveolar /t,dl Velar /k, g/ lp,t,W are voiceless ancl /b,d,g/ are voiced. Bilabial Plosives /p,b/ Fo~.tIieproduction of/pl the two lips are tightly closed, tlie lung air is co~npressed behind Ilie closure, tlie vocal cords are kepl wide apart. The soft palate is raiscd to shut off tlie nasal cavity when tlie closurc is released, tlie compressed air cscapes will1 force. Thus /p/ is a voiceless bilubiulplosivc. Allophones of /p/ (a) /pi is ospirotrd [pll] when it occurs initially and ill an accented syllable. For example, pool, pall, ap'pear, play, ap'point, pure. In all such cases the vowel or voiced consonant that ininlecliatcly follo\vs /p/ beco~ncs devoiced. (b) /p/ is ~~naspiratedwhen (i) it occurs in unaccented syllables as inpre'vent, 'leper, 'reny~er (ii) it is preceded by Is/ as in spell, spy, sl~cech,and (iii) it occurs niedially in a syllable as in opt, kept, lcq7se (c) /p/ is inaudibly released or released without explosion when (i) it occurs If nally, thal is before silence, as in CL~I,step, &s~~eep (ii) it occurs berow another plosive or al'liicate for example, kep, wrcq1p4, keep checking (d) /p/ is nasally released i.e., the air passes out tlirougli the nasal passage when it i4 followed by In/ as in topnzost, stop me. /b/ The consonant /b/ differs from /p/ only in respect of voicing i.e, in the production of /b/ tie vocal cords vibrate. Hence it is a voiced bikzbialplosive (a) /b/ is devoiced in the initial and tlnal positions In words because the voicing of /b/ is delayed owing to the silence that precedes it in the initial position for example belt, bird, bmc~d.It is devoiced in the final position in words because OF tlie silence that follows for example job, rube, ~ztb. ~~~~li~,,,~,lo,relics fi) /b/ is ~~neesploded01. ina~~dibly~cleased (i) in tlie ti~ialposition it1 words for and Phonologv-I example crzb, sob (ii) when it occurs before anollier plosive or affricate for example, snubbell, ohlra~de,strbdued, obiecl (c) /b/ is fi~llyvoiced when it occurs between two vowel sounds wl~icliare voiced for example I ubbei; szibtlrb, aho~le,sztbnlter.17 (d) /b/ is nasally released i.e. tlie air is rcleased th~~oi~glitlie nose wlien it is followed by /m/as in .s~Bm~n.ine,subrnc~*ge Alveolar Plosives /t,d/ For the articulation of/(/ ancl /dl tlie lip and blade of the tongue makes a firm contact wit11 tlie alveolar ridge, tlie lung air is conipressecl behind tlie ~IOSLI~Cand the velum is raised to SIILI~ offtlie nasal passage. With ~licrelease of the closure, tlie compressed air escapes with explosion. For it1 the vocal cords are apart, therel'o~cit is voiceless. For /dl thc vocal cords * vibrate, therefore it is voiced. Allophones of It/ (a) Like /p/, /1/ is aspirated wllen it occurs in Ilie initial accented position in words. For exa~npletorch, at'tuin, twist, frrclilor.111 all s~~clicases the voiced consonant or vowel that immediately follows It/ becomes devoiced. F&. example Iwl in mist and /rl in truilor are devoiced. (b) It/ is unaspiratecl (like /p/), wlien (i) it occurs in unaccented syllables. e.g. 'litter, to'nighl, 's,~lire (ii)it is preceded by Is/, eg stearn, stsap, stew fc) it is inai~diblyreleased in tlie filial position in \vords, i.e. befbrc silence, e.g. ~kute, bo~lglzland when it is followed by anotlicr plosive 01 affricate e.g. wel duy, wl7ire ~iress,diistbin, hot chips, w/~itecl?alk (d) it is nasally released i.e. tlie air passes out through he nose, if it is followed by In/, e.g, cotton, rotten, button (e) it is laterally released wlien it is followed by /I/, e.g. kettle, bottle, rattle (f) Id becomes a dental plosive (like the Hindi $as in Jl3 'weigli') if it is followed by the dental fricatives / 0, 8 1, e.g, eighth, cut ~ltese. (g) it is realized as a post-alveolar plosive wlien fallowed by the past-alvcplar ap proximant 11-1,e.g. tree, purrruy, trim Allopllones of /dl (a) /dl is devoiced when it occurs initially in a word e.g, dip, clny, dread, dzle and finally e g.jlo~)ed,read, hide (9 it is inaudibly released when (i) it occurs finally e.g. asked, told (ii) it is followed by ailother plosive or.affricate, e.g, good times, wide gap, lendpencil, bad judge (g) /dl is firlly voicecl, that is voiced through all the three stages of its articulation, when it occurs between voiced sounds e.g. radar, nlodesy, good~)ill (11) /dl is nasally released when it is followed by In/ hidden, midnighl, guodnes~,loud noise (i) /dl is laterqlly released when followd by 111, e.g. iddle, red light, bed lamp (j) /dl becomes a dental plosive (like Hindi in 'heart') when it is followed by the dental fricatives 1 0, d I, e.g. width, sad thoz~g/zt,,feed them. (k) Id/ is realised as a post-alveolar plosive when it is followed by the post-alveolar approxilnant /r/ as ip drop, frredrice I, Pronuncjation of the past tense marker -d or -ed I The past terise marker -d or - ed is pronounced i 1 9 It/ afler voiceless consonants otlicr than It/ for example (i) The Consonallts of English /r~pt/ ~~r-o/~pccl' /si:sti censed /be~kt/ baked lflaj11 ,jlashed /st~ft/ stz!fed IS :ht/ searched (ii) it is proliounced /dl after voiced sounds (voiced consonants and vowels) other than /dl robbed cried begged sho~~ed loved brewed (iii) it is pronounced /ld/ after /t,cl/ e.g. r-atcd plotted, n~oz~ldcd,gli~ieci Velar Plosives /Ic,g/ For tlie p~~ocli~ctionof /!d and /g/ the back oftlie tongue ~naltesa iirrn contact with the soft palate or veli~m,\vliich is raised to shut oll'tlie nasal passage.