‘Universal’ Articulatory Phonetics
Consonants and vowels are conventionally described using different
vocabulary, but the principal in both cases is basically what happens
where. Our survey of the sounds of the world’s languages begins by
considering consonant place of articulation (Ladefoged 139-147).
In consonants the what is called the manner of articulation and the where
the place of articulation.
* Many thanks to Ian Maddieson who shared his teaching materials with me. These
slides are adapted from his with minor changes.
English term Latin Adjective Terminology
lips labia labial
teeth denti dental
teeth roots alveoli alveolar
palate palatum palatal
velum velum (palatini) velar
uvula uvula uvular
pharynx pharynx pharyngeal
Places are mostly named by using an adjective derived from the Latin
name for the passive articulator - the location on the upper (or back)
surface of the oral tract where the most significant narrowing of the
vocal tract occurs.
The tongue and its parts
English term Latin Adjective Terminology
tongue lingua lingual
tip apex apical
blade lamina laminal
front ------ anterior
back dorsum dorsal
root radix radical
We also need names for the active articulators involved, such as
the lower lip and the different parts of the tongue.
Additional names can be made by combining two labels,
specifying the tongue shape, or adding other modifiers.
linguo-labial tongue blade and upper lip
labio-dental lower lip and upper teeth
dentialveolar covering both teeth and alveolar ridge
post-alveolar behind the alveolar ridge
palato-alveolar between the alveoli and palate
retroflex tongue tip curled back toward palate
(‘bent back’)