Paired and unpaired deaf consonants

Speaking is very important for the social life and development of an individual. Much attention in the study of the native (or foreign) language is given to colloquial speech - the correct pronunciation of phonemes. There are many words that differ only in individual sounds. Therefore, the functioning of the organs of speech and sound formation is given special attention.

Sound production

Sound formation occurs as a result of human mental and speech activity. The vocal apparatus consists of the diaphragm, larynx, epiglottis, pharynx, vocal cords, nasal cavity and mouth, tongue, palate (soft and hard), alveoli, teeth, tongue, lips.

The tongue with the lower lip is actively involved in sound production. Teeth, palate, upper lip remain passive.

The production of sounds (phonemes) includes:

• respiration - breathing,
• phonation - the use of the larynx and vocal folds to create phonemes,
• articulation - the work of the speech apparatus for sound production.

Noisy (deaf) consonants of the Russian language

There are exactly 33 letters in Russian, and much more sounds - 42. Vowel phonemes, consisting of a pure voice, - 6. The remaining 36 sounds are consonants.

In the creation of 16 consonant phonemes, only noise is formed as a result of overcoming by the exhaled air stream certain obstacles, which are interacting speech organs.

[k ^, ], [n ^, ], [s ^, ], [t ^, ], [f ^, ], [x ^, ], [h ^, ], [u ^, ], [k], [n], [s ], [], [], [], [], [] - deaf consonants.

To learn how to determine which consonant sounds are deaf, you need to know their main features: in what way and in what place they are formed, how vocal folds are involved in their production, is there palatalization during pronunciation.

Noisy consonants

In the process of producing deaf consonant phonemes, the interaction of various organs of the vocal apparatus occurs. They can close together or form a gap.

Muffled consonants are generated when exhaled airflow overcomes these barriers. Depending on the type of obstacles, deaf phonemes are divided into:

• closing explosive [k,, p,, t, k, p, t];
• occlusal fissure (affricates) [c, h ^, ];
• slotted (fricative) [,, ,, ,, ,, s, f, x, w].

Depending on the places where the barriers form, among the deaf phonemes are distinguished:

• labio-labial [p, p];
• labio-dental [f, f];
• anterolanguage dental [s,, s, t,, t, c];
• anterior lingual palate-dental [h,, uh ^, w];
• posterior lingual posterior [c ^, x, k, x].

The vocal folds are always in a relaxed state when muffled consonant sounds are produced. No voice is formed; phonemes are made up of pure noise.

Palatalization and Velarization

Noisy phonemes are classified according to the degree of tension in the middle of the tongue. When the front and middle regions of the tongue rise to the hard palate in the process of sound production, a palatalized consonant (soft) deaf sound is born. Velarized (solid) phonemes are produced by raising the root of the tongue to the back region of the soft palate.

6 soft and 6 solid noisy deaf phonemes make up pairs, the remaining pairs do not.

Paired deaf consonants - [k ^, - k], [n ^, - n], [s ^, - s], [t ^, - t], [f ^, - f], [x ^, - x]; [c, h ^, w, w, h] - deaf unpaired consonants.

Articulation

The combination of all the works of individual organs of the vocal apparatus involved in pronouncing phonemes is called articulation.

For the speech to be understandable, one must be able to clearly pronounce sounds, words, sentences. To do this, you need to train your speech apparatus, to practice pronunciation of phonemes.

Having understood how dull consonant sounds are formed, how to pronounce them correctly, a child or an adult will master the speech much faster.

Sounds [k - k, x - x ^, ]

Lower the end of the tongue, slightly move away from the incisors of the lower jaw. Mouth open. Raise the back of the tongue so that it contacts the borderline of the raised soft and hard palate. Through a sharp exhalation, air overcomes the barrier - [k].

Press the end of the tongue to the lower front teeth. The middle and back of the tongue are brought closer to the mid-posterior region of the hard palate. Exhale - [to ^, ].

In the production of phonemes [x - x ^, ] the organs of speech are located similarly. Only between them remains not a bow, but a gap.

Sounds [n - n ^, ]

To close your lips, leave your tongue free to lie, move its tip slightly away from the lower incisors. Exhale. The air stream breaks through the lips - [p].

Lips are the same. Press the end of the tongue to the incisors of the lower jaw. To the hard palate, lift the middle of the tongue. A sharp push of air overcomes the labial barrier - [p ^, ].

Sounds [s - s]

Lips stretch, teeth almost close. The end of the tongue touch the front teeth of the lower jaw. Bend the tongue, lifting the middle back to the palate. Its lateral edges are pressed against the upper chewing teeth. Airflow passes through a groove formed in the middle of the tongue. It overcomes the gap between the alveolar arch and the anterior back of the tongue - [s].

The phoneme [s ^, ] is pronounced in a similar way. Only the middle of the tongue rises higher, and the front one bends more (the groove disappears).

Sounds [t - t ^, ]

Part your lips. The end of the tongue rest in the incisors of the upper jaw, forming a bow. A stream of exhaled air breaks with force through the barrier - [t].

The position of the lips is the same. Tip of the tongue to snuggle to the lower incisors. The front of the tongue touch the upper alveolar arch, creating a bow. Under the pressure of the air stream, the obstacle is overcome - [t ^, ].

Sounds [f - f ^, ]

Retract the lower lip and press the upper incisors to it. Raise the back of the tongue to the back of the soft palate. On exhalation, air passes through a flat gap formed by a lip and teeth - [f].

Lips and teeth in the same position. Push the tip of the tongue to the lower incisors. Lift the middle part of the tongue to the palate. A stream of air penetrates through the labio-tooth gap - [f ^, ].

Sound [q]

Sound is produced in two stages:

1. Stretch out a little tight lips. Press the end of the tongue to the front lower teeth. Lift the front of the tongue, closing it with a hard palate (immediately behind the alveolar arch).
2. Airflow enters the oral cavity. Bend your tongue slightly - raise the middle part, lower the back, press the side edges to the chewing teeth. The bow turns into a gap and the air comes out - [c].

Sound [h ^, ]

The formation of a phoneme consists of two phases:

1. Round off and push your lips a little. With the end and front of the tongue, press against the hard palate and the alveolar arch, creating a barrier.
2. Push the air out: a gap will be created between the tongue and the palate in the place of the bow. At the same time, it is necessary to raise the middle of the tongue - [h ^, ].

Sound [w]

Extend slightly rounded lips. Raise the end of the tongue to the formation of a narrow passage with the palate and alveolar arch (1st gap). Having lowered the middle of the tongue, raise its back (2nd slit). Press the edges to the chewing teeth, forming a bowl. Exhale smoothly - [w].

Sound

Pull your lips a little and round. Raise the end of the tongue to the alveolar arch, without pressing, so that the gap remains. Raise the tongue to the hard palate (except the front), with the edges pressed against the molars of the upper jaw. Breathe out slowly. The central part of the tongue goes down, creating a gutter through which air flows. Tongue tenses - [uh ^, ].

In a speech stream, dull consonants coexist with other phonemes (vowels and consonants). If a vowel follows after a noisy phoneme, then the lips take a position to articulate the latter.

Comparison of noisy deaf and voiced phonemes

Voiced are phonemes, in the formation of which voice and noise participate simultaneously (the latter prevails). Some voiced have deaf paired sounds.

Paired deaf consonants and voiced voices: [k - g], [k ^, - g ^, ], [n - b], [n ^, - b ^, ], [t - d], [t ^, - d ^, ], [ s - h], [s ^, - h ^, ], [f - h], [f ^, - h ^, ], [sh - g].

Voiced and deaf unpaired consonants:

• [th, l,, m ^, n ^, p, p, l, m, n, p] - voiced (sonorous);
• [x,, h,, uh,, x, t] - noisy deaf.

Noisy phonemes lettering

The ability to write correctly is just as important as speaking. Mastering a written speech is even more difficult, since some sounds on paper can be recorded in different letters or letter combinations.

Dull consonants when writing are transmitted in similar letters if they are in strong positions.

By deafness and sonority: in front of a vowel, sonor consonant, [c - in ^, ], other noisy (applicable to paired deaf!).

By hardness-softness: before the vowel, [b, m, g, k, p, x, b,, m,, g,, k,, p,, x ^, ] - for sounds [s, s,, t, t ^, ], at the end of a word.

In other cases, to determine the correct letter (or combination of letters) for a deaf consonant phoneme, certain rules of the Russian language must be applied. And sometimes you just need to remember the correct spelling of words (vocabulary).