6. Consonants Flashcards
(20 cards)
What distinguishes consonants from vowels in terms of articulation?
Consonants involve substantial constriction in the vocal tract
This distinction is critical for understanding phonetic categories.
How many phonological consonant choices are there in English?
24
This number reflects the variety of consonant sounds used in English phonology.
Which method helps discover distinct phonological consonant categories?
Minimal pairs
Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one sound, illustrating phonemic distinctions.
What three dimensions are used to describe consonants?
Voicing, place, and manner of articulation
These dimensions help categorize consonants in phonetic studies.
Which of the following is an approximant?
1. [p]
2. [m]
3. [j]
4. [f]
[j]
Approximants are consonants that have a more vowel-like quality.
Why are approximants acoustically similar to vowels?
They form similar vocal tract tube shapes
This similarity allows for a smoother airflow, akin to vowels.
What distinguishes nasal stops from oral stops?
The velum is lowered for nasals, allowing nasal airflow
This is a key feature that differentiates nasal consonants from oral ones.
Which fricative is produced furthest back in the vocal tract?
[h]
The production area of fricatives influences their acoustic properties.
What causes the turbulent noise in fricatives?
Narrow constriction in the vocal tract
This constriction creates the characteristic sound of fricatives.
Why are [s] and [ʃ] louder than [f] or [θ]?
The constriction is near the teeth, creating stronger turbulence
This positioning affects the intensity of the sound produced.
Which pair represents voiced fricatives?
[v], [z]
Voiced fricatives are important in distinguishing between different consonant sounds.
What challenge exists in producing voiced fricatives?
Maintaining different pressure levels for voicing and frication
This complexity can affect the clarity of voiced fricatives.
What type of consonant has a stop followed by a fricative release?
Affricate
Affricates combine features of both stops and fricatives.
What is Voice Onset Time (VOT)?
The delay between plosive release and voicing onset
VOT is crucial in distinguishing between voiced and voiceless plosives.
Which of these has the shortest VOT?
[b]
The VOT for voiced plosives like [b] is typically shorter than for voiceless ones.
In a spectrogram, what does aspiration look like?
A region of glottal-like turbulence following the burst
Aspiration is an important feature in the analysis of plosives.
What spectral property of plosives provides a cue to their place of articulation?
Burst spectrum
The burst spectrum can reveal information about where the plosive is articulated.
How are English plosives typically structured in time?
Closing – Hold – Burst – (Optional aspiration)
This temporal structure is essential for understanding plosive production.
What kind of formant transition pattern is associated with [g] in syllables like ‘ga’?
Peaked burst spectrum, middle F2 transition
Formant transitions play a critical role in identifying consonant sounds.
Why is formant normalization used when comparing vowels across speakers?
To account for physical vocal tract differences
This normalization helps ensure that comparisons are valid across different speakers.
