Page 143 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Unit 10: Phonemes: Detailed Study

D: Fricatives Notes
A fricative is articulated with a stricture of close approximation: that is, the two articulators are brought
so close to each other that the gap between them is very narrow. The air that is compressed by
pressure from the lungs escapes through the narrow gap with audible friction.
In English there are 9 fricative consonants. These are:
/f/ and /v/ : labiodental fricatives
/ θ / and ð : dental fricatives
/ s/ and /z/ : alveolar fricatives
/ ∫ / and /z/ : palato-alveolar fricatives
/h/ : glottal fricative
of these, /f/, / θ /,/s/, / ∫ / and /h/ are voiceless and /v/, ð /, z/ and z are voiced.

/f/
1. During the articulation of /f/, the lower lip is brought very close to the upper front teeth so that
the gap between them is extremely narrow. The soft palate is raised and thus the nasal passage
of air is blocked completely. The air escapes through the narrow gap between the lower lip and
the upper front teeth with audible friction. The vocal cords are held wide apart and they do not
vibrate. /f/ is thus a voiceless labio-dental fricative.
Spellings: /f/ is represented by
(i) the letter f as in five, fool
(ii) the letters ff as in coffee, affair
(iii) the letters ph as in physics, photograph
(iv) the letters gh as in cough, rough.
Distribution
/f/ can occur initially, medially and finally as in five (initial) offer (medial) and roof (final).
(v)
2. /v/ is articulated exactly like /f/ described above except that during the articulation of /v/ the
vocal cords vibrate producing voice. /v/is thus a voiced Labio-dental fricative.
Spellings: /v/ is represented by
(i) the letter v as in over,
(ii) the letter f as in of
(iii) the letter ph as in nephew.
Distribution
/v/ occurs initially, medially and finally, as in vine (initial) cover, (medial) and love (final).

/θ /
3. The tip of the tongue makes a light contact with the edge of the upper front path. The soft palate
is raised so as to shut off the nasal passage of air. The air escapes through the narrow space
between the tip of the tongue and the front teeth, causing audible friction. The vocal cords do
not vibrate. / θ / is thus a voiceless dental fricative.
Spellings
/θ / is represented by the letters th as in thin, thick, path, etc.

/θ / can occur initially, medially and finally in a word as in thick (initial), ethereal (medial) and
oath (final).
( ð )

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