The classification of sound
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Hi guys, how are you doing?
Before classifying sounds, we shall know that
there is an extensive and scientific classification of sounds and very
comprehensive description of the sound has been made. In English, there is an International
symbol that has been patterned and used for the standard of English sound. That
is International Phonetic Association Symbols (IPA Symbols).
Moreover, there are two terms in sounds that are
produced by the speech organs by pushing the air mainstream out of the lungs
either through the mouth or the nose. Those sounds are nasal and oral. In the
production of nasal sound is released either fully or partially through the
nose. While oral, the air is completely pushed out of the mouth.
Speech sounds are divided into two, voice and
voiceless.
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Voiced sound is: in the production of which vocal cords vibrate.
In English, all vowel sound is voiced and some of consonant sound. (b, d, g, dʒ, v, ð, z, ʒ, m, n, ŋ, l, r, j, w).
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Voiceless sound is produced when the vocal cords
do not vibrate. Many consonant sounds that are voiceless. (p, t, k, tʃ, f, θ, s, ʃ, h)
There are two categories of
the speech sounds. Those are vowel and consonant:
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The vowel sound: the air comes out through the
mouth freely and continuously without any audible friction while others are
consonant sound.
1.
The
description of consonant sound
The consonant sound is
classified into two, according to the place of articulation and according to
the manner of articulation.
Place of
articulation
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1
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Bilabial
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Articulated
by two lips (p, b, m, w)
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2
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Labio
dental
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Articulated
by the lower lip against the upper teeth (f, v)
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3
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Dental
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Articulated
by the tip of the tongue against the upper teeth (θ, ð)
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4.
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Alveolar
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Articulated
by the blade of tongue against the teeth-ridge (t, d)
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5
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Post
alveolar
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Articulated
by the tip of the tongue against the back of the teeth. (r)
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6
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Palate
alveolar
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Articulated
by the blade of the tongue against the teeth-ridge, with the front of the
tongue raised towards the hard palate. (tʃ, dʒ, ʃ, ʒ)
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7
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Palatal
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Articulated
by the front of the tongue against the hard palate. /j/
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8
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Velar
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Articulated
by the back of the tongue against the soft palate. /k, g, ŋ/
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9
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Glottal
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Production
by an obstruction or narrowing between the vocal cords. /h/
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Manner of articulation
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1
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Plosive
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There is a complete closure of the
air-passage in the mouth; pressure is built-up and the air is released with
an explosion.
/p, b, t, d, k, g/
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2
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Affricative
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There is a complete closure of the
air-passage in the mouth; then the organs are separated slowly so that
friction is heard.
/ tʃ, dʒ/
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3
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Nasal
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There is a complete closure of the
mouth; the soft palate is lowered and the air escapes through the nose
/m, n, ŋ)
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4
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Lateral
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A lateral consonant sound is
produced by a stricture of complete closure in the centre of the vocal tract.
The air, however, has a free passage on the sides
/l/
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5
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Fricative
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There is a narrow passage for the
air between two organs and friction is produced when the air passes through
it
/f, v, θ, ð, s, z, ʃ, ʒ, h/
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6
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Frictionless
continuant
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There is no closure or friction, but
the sound has a consonantal function.
/r/ (run, red)
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7
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Semi-vowel
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A vowel glide with a consonantal
function
/j, w/
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2.
The description
of vowel
When we produce vowel sounds, the air escapes
freely and continuously without any friction. For example, when we say the word
bee.
The sound of ee freely escapes and continuously
without friction.
The vowel sound is divided into two:
1. Front vowel: the
production of which in front of the tongue raised in the direction of the hard
palate. Example; bee, bag, bet, bit,
2. back vowel: the
production of the sound of which the back of the tongue is raised in the
direction of the soft palate. Example: soft,
put
3. central vowel:
during the articulation of which the central part of tongue is raised towards
the central part of the palate. Example; but,
skirt, amount
