Articulatory phonetics

It concentrates on studying how sounds are produced in the human vocal track – that is manner of articulation and place of articulation. The production of any sound involves the movement of ear. Speech sounds are produced by pushing lung air through the opening between the vocal cords. Such sounds are called – pulmonic sounds. Sounds may be produced when the air is pushed out, they are called igressive sounds. The majority of sounds in languages of the world are produced by pulmonic igressive air stream mechanism.

Sounds fall into two major classes consonants and vowels. Sounds differ according to the voicing location and manner of production. Any change of these factors may alter a sound. If the stream of air leaves the vocal cord unhinged the resulting sound is a vowel; if the stream of air is abstracted, gets some obstruction (is blocked) the resulting sound is a consonant. Consonants can be voiced and unvoiced – p t k – unvoiced, b d g – voiced. Sounds like p t k are known as explosives, because they are accompanied by explosure. Fricatives are sounds which may be prolonged in pronunciation as - s f v, and aspirate is a sound made by breathing immediately after explosure. Consonants in both languages are classified according to the organs which take part in their production. They may be made by teeth, the gums, the hard and a soft palate and the lips. The consonant made by both lips – is called bilabial w b p m, бпм. A consonant made by the low lip articulating against the teeth is called labia-dental – f v – ф в. A consonant made by the blade of the tongue which touches upon the upper teeth – is called dental th th –т з д. Vela-consonants are made by the back of the tongue being pressed against the velum – k g – к г. When we pronounce sound “L” the stream of air passes on both sides of the tongue, so this sound is called lateral or side-sound. In both languages sounds M N are nasals, when air passes through the nose.