English Pronunciation

Organs of Speech

LL Lips
TT Teeth
TR Alveolar ridge, convex part of the mouth, immediately behind the teeth
H Hard palate, concave part of the roof of the mouth
S Soft palate in lowered position
U Uvula, the loose hanging end of the soft palate
P Pharynx
BL Blade of the tongue, including the tip, the part opposite the teeth ridge
F Front of the tongue, the part opposite the hard palate
B Back of the tongue, the part opposite the soft palate
E Epiglottis; this is drawn over the windpipe when swallowing
W Windpipe
FP Food passage
V Vocal cords or vocal lips
Larynx The upper extremity of the windpipe (Adam’s apple) which contains and protects the vocal cords

  • the place of obstruction of air at some points in the vocal cords.

  • used to classify consonants

  • each place of articulation has an adjective applied to a consonant

Nouns Adjectives
Lips Labial/ Bilabial
Teeth Dental
Alveolar ridge Alveolar
Hard palate Palatal
Soft palate Velar
Uvula Uvular
Pharynx Pharyngeal
Tip Apical
Blade Laminal
Front Dorsal
Back Dorsal

Consonants Place
/p/ Bilabial
/b/ Bilabial
/t/ Tip-alveolar
/d/ Tip-alveolar
/k/ Back-velar
/g/ Back-velar
// Blade/front –palato-alveolar
// Blade/front –palato-alveolar
/m/ Bilabial
/n/ Tip-alveolar
// Back-velar
/f/ Labio-dental
/v/ Labio-dental
// Tip-dental
// Tip-dental
/s/ Blade-alveolar
/z/ Blade-alveolar
// Blade/front –palato-alveolar
// Blade/front –palato-alveolar
/h/ Glottal
/l/ Tip-alveolar
/r/ Blade-postalveolar
/w/ Bilabial back-velar
/j/ Front-palatal

 

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