Articulation 9 — positions/places of articulation
On the basis of the co-ordinated work of articulators and points or regions of articulation,
several positions of articulation are distinguished. Their precise description involves naming
the articulators and points of articulation taking part in the production of a given sound as
well as a description of the shape of the resonating chambers/cavities.
(1) Places of articulation of consonants
Table 1 Places of articulation of consonants (Spencer 1996:15)
NAME OF THE
CONSONANT
bilabial
labiodental
interdental
alveolar
alveo-palatal/
palato-alveolar/
postalveolar
retroflex
palatal
PASSIVE
ARTICULATOR(S)
both lips
the upper row of teeth
(upper incisors)
the upper row of teeth
the alveolar ridge (gum
ridge)
the lower row of teeth and
the tongue tip (apex)/blade
the tongue tip/blade
(lamina)
the tongue blade
the hard palate
the tongue tip
the hard palate
the tongue blade
the soft palate (the velum)
labiovelar
the soft palate (the velum)
uvular
the uvula
glottal/laryngeal
the lower lip
the alveolar ridge and the
hard palate
velar
pharyngeal
ACTIVE
ARTICULATOR(S)
the back of the tongue (the
dorsum)
made with an articulation
both at the lips and by the
back of the tongue at the
velum
the back of the tongue (the
dorsum)
the pharynx wall
the tongue root
the larynx
the vocal cords/folds
alveolus; plural alveoli noun: (1) an air cell of the lungs; (2) the socket within the
jawbone in which the root or roots of a tooth are set; adjective: alveolar;
combining form: alveo-, alveol-, alveolo-
dens; plural dentes noun: a tooth; adjective: dental; combining form: dent-, denti-
glottis noun: the opening at the upper part of the larynx, between the vocal cords;
adjective: glottal
labium; plural labia noun: a lip; adjective: labial; combining form: labio-
larynx noun: the tube or cavity, with its surrounding membrane and muscles, that
connects the mouth and nasal passages with the oesophagus; adjective:
laryngeal; combining form: laryngo-
palate noun: the roof of the mouth, consisting of an anterior bony portion (hard palate)
and a posterior muscular portion (soft palate, velum) that separate the oral
cavity from the nasal cavity; adjective: palatal; combining form: palato-
pharynx noun: the tube or cavity, with its surrounding membrane and muscles, that
connects the mouth and nasal passages with the oesophagus; adjective:
pharyngeal; combining form: pharyngo-
retroflex/retroflexed adjective: articulated with the tip of the tongue curled upward
and back against or near the juncture of the hard and soft palates; noun:
retroflexion/retroflection
uvula noun: the small, fleshy, conical body projecting downward from the middle of
the soft palate; adjective: uvular
velum noun: the soft palate; adjective: velar (velic/velaric)
(2) Movements of the tongue in articulating vowels
The tip of the tongue remains low behind the lower teeth. The front and back of it, however,
can be hunched up in different degrees. The different movements can be felt quite well if the
words he //, who //, hat //, ah // are pronounced in succession.
Figure 9 The movements of the tongue (vowels)
ALVEOLAR RIDGE
VELUM
he //
who //
UPPER TEETH
LOWER TEETH
hat //
the neutral (relaxed)
state of the TONGUE
hard //
MANDIBLE
PHARYNX
The shape of articulators: The escaping air can take two routes in the oral cavity. It can pass
over the centre or over and around the sides of the tongue; central and lateral sounds are
articulated respectively. The size of the air channel over the centre of the tongue may be
relatively narrow or wide from side to side, and relatively close or open from top to bottom.
Modifications of shape can take place in the front, central and back part of the oral cavity
due to the movement of the respective part(s) of the tongue.