Descriptions of Points of Articulation and Types of Sounds

Bilabial: A sound made using both lips

Labiodental: A sound made using both the lips and the teeth

Alveolar: A point of articulation on the ridge immediately behind the teeth

Palatal: A point of articulation in the center of the mouth

Velar: A point of articulation behind the hard palate

Labiovelar: A sound made using both the lips and the back of the mouth

Uvula: A small projection hanging down in the back of the mouth

Glottalized: A sound made entirely with mouth air

Stop: A sound made when a point of articulation is completely closed

Aspirated: A sound made by blowing air after a consonant stop is made

Affricate: A sound made by slowly releasing air from a completely closed position

Fricative: A sound made when a point of articulation is almost but not quite closed

Nasal: A sound made by allowing air to escape through the nasal cavity

Lateral: A sound made by lowering one or both sides of the tongue

Flap: A sound made by rapidly allowing the tongue to touch the roof of the mouth

Retroflexed: A sound made by curling the tongue backwards in the mouth

Click: An ingressive intake of air making a popping sound


Bruce Terry's Home Page
Bruce Terry's Home Page   Class Index Page  Class Syllabus
http://www.bterry.com/anthropology/chartdefinitions.htm hosted at http://bible.ovu.edu/terry/anthropology/chartdefinitions.htm
Last updated on October 7, 2015
Page maintained by
Copyright © 2015 Bruce Terry