6Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
THE CONSONANT SYSTEM OF ENGLISH AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
VOWELS
Oybekovna Munisa Abdullayeva
Student, Chirchik state pedagogical university munisaabdullayeva074@gmail.com Scientific adviser: Mavluda Abduvaliyevna Komiljonova Teacher, Chirchik state pedagogical university mavlyudadjurayeva 1@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This comprehensive article on English consonants provides a thorough exploration of the intricate world of speech sounds in the English language. The systematic breakdown of consonants based on articulatory features, including place and manner of articulation, as well as voicing, offers readers a nuanced understanding of the diverse sounds present in English phonetics. From the discussion on bilabial stops to voiced velar nasals, the article covers a wide spectrum of consonantal sounds, facilitating a holistic comprehension of their production mechanisms.
Keywords: consonants, acoustic classification of English consonants, the manner of articulation, the place of articulation, voicing.
INTRODUCTION
There is a very old separation between vowels and consonants. However, the division's underlying premise is still not entirely obvious, and it's not entirely clear where the boundaries are. It is implied by the outdated name "consonants" that vowels are necessary for the pronunciation of consonants. However, it is known that they frequently do so; this may be heard, for example, in the sound that begs for silence:
Vowels are typically syllabic, but this does not exclude consonants from creating syllables. Conversely, these sounds could also be syllabic, and there are several examples of syllabic sonorants independently producing syllables in the English language. Vowels are melodic tones acoustically.
The articulation of English consonants.
Noise is an essential component of a consonant. An obstacle is the source of the noise. The following kinds of obstructions exist when producing consonants: There are three types of occlusion: 1) total occlusion (closure), 2) constriction (narrowing), and 3) occlusion-constriction (closure immediately followed by restrictive action). The sound made when a closure is removed is called a plosion, while the sound made as the air stream moves through a constriction is called friction. When a narrowing occurs after closure, the two effects are combined. The articulation of English consonants involves the manipulation of
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airflow using various parts of the vocal tract. Here are examples based on place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing:
1. Place of Articulation:
Bilabial: "p" (voiceless), "b" (voiced) Labiodental: "f' (voiceless), "v" (voiced) Alveolar: "t" (voiceless), "d" (voiced)
Palatal: "tf" (voiceless, as in "church"), (voiced, as in "judge") Velar: "k" (voiceless), "g" (voiced)
2. Manner of Articulation: Stops: p, b, t, d, k, g
Fricatives: f, v, s, z, J (as in "shoe"), "3" (as in "measure"), "h"
Affricates: "f, 'W
Nasals: "m, n, q" (as in "sing")
Liquids: "l, j" (as in "run")
3. Voicing:
Voiceless: p, f, t, s, /, k Voiced: b, v, d, z, 3, g
Understanding these categories helps in describing how each consonant is produced.
The place of articulation
1. Bilabial Consonants:
P: Voiceless bilabial stop - Airflow is blocked by bringing both lips together.
B: Voiced bilabial stop - Similar to "P" but with vocal cord vibration.
2. Labiodental Consonants:
F: Voiceless labiodental fricative - Air flows between the bottom lip and upper front teeth.
V: Voiced labiodental fricative - Similar to "F" but with vocal cord vibration.
3. Alveolar Consonants:
T: against the alveolar ridge.
D: Voiced alveolar stop - Similar to "T" but with vocal cord vibration. S: Voiceless alveolar fricative - Air flows between the tongue and alveolar
ridge.
Z: Voiced alveolar fricative - Similar to "S" but with vocal cord vibration.
4. Palatal Consonants:
Voiceless palato-alveolar affricate - The tongue blocks airflow at the postalveolar region.
Voiced palato-alveolar affricate - Similar to "0" but with vocal cord
vibration.
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5. Velar Consonants:
K: Voiceless velar stop - The back of the tongue blocks airflow at the
velum.
G: Voiced velar stop - Similar to "K" but with vocal cord vibration.
q: Voiced velar nasal - The velum is lowered, allowing air to flow through the nasal cavity.
6. Glottal Consonant:
H: Voiceless glottal fricative - Air flows through a partially closed glottis.
These descriptions focus on how and where each sound is produced in the vocal tract. Practice and awareness of these articulatory features can aid in improving pronunciation.
The manner of articulation
Manner of articulation refers to how the airflow is restricted or modified to produce a consonant sound. Here are examples for different manners of articulation:
1. Stops:
P (voiceless): The airflow is completely stopped by closing the vocal tract, then released.
B (voiced): Similar to "P" but with vocal cord vibration.
2. Fricatives:
F (voiceless): Air is forced through a narrow constriction, creating friction between articulators.
V (voiced): Similar to "F" but with vocal cord vibration.
S (voiceless): Air flows through a narrow gap, creating a turbulent sound.
Z (voiced): Similar to "S" but with vocal cord vibration.
3. Affricates:
0 (voiceless): Begins with a stop, followed by a fricative, creating a combined sound (e.g., "ch" in "chat").
^ (voiced): Similar to but with vocal cord vibration (e.g., "j" in "judge").
4. Nasals:
M (voiced): Air flows through the nasal cavity, and the oral passage is closed (e.g., "m" in "mango").
N (voiced): Similar to "M" but with the tongue against the alveolar ridge (e.g., "n" in "nice").
q (voiced): Similar to "N" but with the tongue against the velum (e.g., "ng" in "sing").
5. Liquids:
L (voiced): The tongue allows air to flow around it, creating a liquid sound (e.g., "l" in "like").
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i (voiced): The tongue is more retracted, creating another liquid sound (e.g., "r" in "run").
Understanding these manners of articulation helps in grasping how different consonant sounds are physically produced. Voicing
Voicing refers to the vibration or lack of vibration of the vocal cords during the production of a consonant. Here are examples for voicing:
1. Voiceless Consonants:
P: Voiceless bilabial stop - No vocal cord vibration while producing the
sound.
F: Voiceless labiodental fricative - Air flows without vocal cord vibration. T: Voiceless alveolar stop - No vocal cord vibration during the production of this sound.
S: Voiceless alveolar fricative - Produced without vocal cord vibration. K: Voiceless velar stop - No vocal cord vibration is involved.
2. Voiced Consonants:
B: Voiced bilabial stop - Vocal cords vibrate while producing this sound. V: Voiced labiodental fricative - Produced with vocal cord vibration. D: Voiced alveolar stop - Involves vocal cord vibration. Z: Voiced alveolar fricative - Created with vocal cord vibration. G: Voiced velar stop - Vocal cords vibrate during the production of this
sound.
3. Voiced Nasals:
M: Voiced bilabial nasal - Vocal cords vibrate while producing the nasal
sound.
N: Voiced alveolar nasal - Involves vocal cord vibration. g: Voiced velar nasal - Vocal cords vibrate during the production of this nasal sound.
Recognizing the presence or absence of vocal cord vibration is crucial for distinguishing between voiced and voiceless sounds in English pronunciation. Difference Between Vowels and Consonants in Tabular Form
Parameters of Comparison
Vowels Consonants
Basic speech sounds like Basic speech sounds known as
Meaning vowels are produced by an consonants are produced when the
open vocal tract. vocal folds are partly or fully closed.
Total number of The vowels total five. There are 21 of them.
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alphabets
The total amount of English sounds
Syllable
English has around 20 different vowel sounds.
In English, there are around 24 consonant sounds.
Syllables are composed For the creation of a syllable, the mostly of vowels. consonant needs a vowel.
Speech sound
Speech sound in a vowel is unrestricted by the vocal tract. Speech sound in consonants is constrained in the vocal tract and is accompanied by vocal cord vibration.
Vowels are spoken sounds that are formed by the vocal tract being somewhat open, the vocal cords vibrating, but there is no discernible friction. A basic speech sound, or consonant, is one in which the breath is partially or completely blocked. Therefore, the major difference between vowels and consonants lies in their articulation; a vowel is articulated with an open vocal tract whereas a consonant is uttered with entire or partial closure of the vocal tract.
• Consonants are defined as the sounds articulated by temporary interruption in the air stream which passes through the mouth. The articulators can create a "partial," "intermittent," "total," or just a constriction that's enough to generate friction as an obstacle. Almost all articulaters are engaged in the articulation of consonants.
Conversely, vowels are sounds that are produced in the absence of any airway constriction. The tongue is the only articulator that is used in their production. All vowel sounds are voiced and oral in nature because they raise the soft palate, which totally blocks the nasal cavity, when they are produced.
• Another significant difference is that consonants frequently occur as syllable marginal elements. They seldom form the nucleus, or centre, of the syllable except in some situations. A vowel typically forms the core or nucleus of a syllable. The syllable and syllable structure rubric has more information on this.
CONCLUSION
In summary, the exploration of English consonants reveals a structured system guided by articulatory principles. The categorization based on place and manner of articulation, along with voicing distinctions, unravels the complexity of speech sounds. From the bilabial stops to the velar nasals, each consonant plays a distinct role in shaping the phonetic landscape. The contrast between consonants and vowels is fundamental, showcasing how consonants involve airflow restriction and contribute to syllabic structure, while vowels maintain an open vocal tract, forming the core of syllables. This systematic
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understanding not only aids in honing pronunciation skills but also deepens the comprehension of the dynamic relationship between anatomy and language. In essence, the study of consonants is a gateway to appreciating the nuanced beauty embedded in the fabric of spoken English.
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3. Komiljonova M. A. et al. Content and language integrated learning (clil) method and how it is changing the foreign language learning landscape //o'zbekistonda fanlararo innovatsiyalar va ilmiy tadqiqotlar jurnali. - 2024. - Т. 2. - №. 26. - С. 26-33.
4. Djurayeva, M. A. (2023). Developing note-taking skills in consecutive interpreting. Academic Research in Educational Sciences, 4(4), 232-236.
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6. Г.П.Торсуев .Фонетика английского языка. м 1950
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