Descriptive Grammar 1: Phonetics and Phonology
Speech production terminology
Exercise 1: Names of the articulators
From Ladefoged (2001: 24)
Fill in the names of the articulators.
1. 8.
2. 9.
3. 10.
4. 11.
5. 12.
6. 13.
7. 14.
J Weckwerth ([e-mail])
Descriptive Grammar 1  Weckwerth ([e-mail])  Speech production terminology
Exercise 2: Place of articulation
Complete the table using the terms: labiodental; velar; palatal; retroflex; glottal; dental; bilabial; alveolar.
Organs Place of articulation Example sounds
both lips
lower lip and upper teeth
tongue (tip/blade) and upper teeth
tongue (tip/blade) and alveolar ridge
tongue (tip/blade) and back of alveolar ridge
tongue (front) and hard palate
tongue (back) and velum
glottis
Exercise 3: Manner of articulation
Complete the table using the terms: fricative; nasal (stop); approximant; plosive (oral stop); lateral (stop); affricate.
Articulatory actions Manner of articulation Example sounds
There is complete closure between the
active and passive articulator. Air
cannot escape through the nose as there
is velic closure.
The active articulator approaches the
passive articulator. There is turbulence
(friction, hiss) in the narrow opening
that is formed.
First, there is complete closure. After it
is released, the active articulator is still
held close to the passive articulator, so
that there is friction.
The active articulator approaches the
passive articulator but there is no
friction.
There is complete closure in the mouth
but air can escape through the nose as
there is no velic closure.
There is complete closure along the
midline of the tongue and the velum is
raised but air can escape along the
side(s) of the tongue as these only
approach the side(s) of the hard palate,
but do not touch it.
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