Page 137 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Unit 10: Phonemes: Detailed Study

employer / m’pl e *./ Notes
1
mower / m */
1
e
e
shower / ∫ a */
1
e
These glides (called triphthongs), i.e., /e /, /a /, / 1 e /, / and / e/ are represented in the
diagrams given below.
1 e
1 e
e
e
Front Central Back
Open
Half-Close
i [e ]
Half Open
Open

Front Central Back
Close

Half Close

Half Open
Open

Front Central Back K
Front Central Back Close
Close
Half Close
Half Close [au ] e
Half Open
Half Open [en]
Open
Open [au ]
e

10.6.4 Consonants of English
A: Plosives or Stops

A plosive or stop consonant is one that is produced with a stricture. The articulators are in firm
contact for some time and then are separated suddenly.
There are six plosive consonants in English (R.P.). These are /p/,/b/,/t/,/ d// ,/k/,/ and /g/. Of
these /p/ and /b/ are bilabial, /t/ and /d/ are alveolar, and /k/and /g/ are velar.
1. During the articulation of /p/, the two lips make a firm contact with each other. The soft palate
is raised, thereby shutting off the nasal passage. Air that is compressed by pressure from the
lungs, escapes with an explosive sound when the two lips are separated. The vocal cords are
held apart and they do not vibrate, /p/ can thus be described as a voiceless bilabial plosive.
Spellings: The phoneme /p/ is represented by the letters p and pp as in pin, paper, upper, gap.
It is to be remembered that the letter p is silent in words like psalm, psychology, receipt, cupboard,
etc.
Distribution: /p/ can occur initially, medially and finally in words as in pin (initial), supper
(medial) and gap (final).

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