Description and Classification of Consonants

Description and Classification of Consonants

Description and Classification of Consonants

Description and Classification of Consonants

The word ‘Consonant’ has been derived from the Greek word ‘Consonatum’ which means the sound produced with the help of some other sounds (vowels). Both the ancient Greeks and the Indians defined Consonant as a sound produced with the help of a vowel. But such a definition is faulty because there are some lateral and nasal consonants that can be produced without the help of a vowel. Hence a consonant has been defined by most modern linguists as a sound that is produced by a stoppage or partial stoppage of the breath.

A description of Consonant sounds, according to A. C. Grimon, must provide the answers to the following questions:

(i) Is the airstream provided by the lungs or by some other organs?

(ii) Is the air stream forced outward or drown inward?

(iii) Do the vocal cords vibrate or not?

(iv) Is the soft palate raised or lowered? 

(v) At what place does the articulation take place?

(vi) What is the manner of articulation? 

Consonant sounds are classified on the basis of (a) Voicing, (b) Manner of Articulation and (c) Place of Articulation. English Consonants are classified according to the place of articulation as given below:

Bilabial

The Bilabial Consonants are those consonants in the articulation in which the upper lip and the lower lip are involved. The consonants- b, p, m, w- belong to this class. For example, the initial sounds in the English words as- post, boast, meal, win etc.

Libido-dental

This class of consonants consists of those consonants in the articulation of which the active articulator is the lower lip and the passive articulator is the upper teeth. The letters- ‘f’ and ‘b’ are of this class as in ‘fat’, ‘bow’ etc.  

Dental

The Dental Consonants are those consonants in the production of which the active articulator is the tip of the tongue and the passive articulator is the upper teeth. The consonant ‘t’ in English is a dental consonant as in ‘thin’.

Alveolar

The Alveolar consonants are articulated with the blade of the tongue as the active articulator and the teeth ridge as the passive articulator. The consonants like- t, d, s, z, r, l, n- belong to this class. For example, the initial consonants in the English words as- tool, day sit, zoo, nail etc.

Post-alveolar

This class of consonants consists of those consonants in the articulation of which the active articulator is the tip of the tongue and the passive articulator is the rear part of the teeth ridge. For example, the consonant ‘r’ is post-alveolar as the initial in the word ‘red’.

Palate-alveolar

This class of consonants includes those consonants in the articulation in which the blade of the tongue acts as the active articulator and articulates against the teeth ridge which is the passive articulator. For example, the initial consonants in the English words – chop, just, ship etc.

Palatal

The Palatal consonants are produced with the front of the tongue as the active articulator and the hard palate as a passive articulator. For example, the initial consonants in the English word ‘yard’.

Velar

For the production of Velar Consonants the soft palate of the tongue becomes the active articulator and the back of the tongue becomes the passive articulator. For example, the final consonants in the English words as- rock, bag, ring etc.

Glottal: The Glottal Consonants refer to those consonants in the articulation of which the glottis (vocal cords) are used. For example, the initial consonant in the English word ‘hat’. 0 0 0

Description and Classification of Consonants

N. B. This article entitled ‘Description and Classification of Consonants’ originally belongs to the book ‘Essays on Linguistics‘ by Menonim Menonimus. Description and Classification of Consonants

Books on Linguistics by M. Menonimus:

1. A Brief History of the English Language
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6. Passage Comprehension
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9. Report Writing
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11. Substance Writing
12. School Essays Part-I
13. School Essays Part-II
14. School English Grammar Part-I
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