Practice question · Multiple choice
A student assumes that because /m/ and /p/ are both bilabial consonants, the vocal tract is closed entirely while articulating both. Why does this inference fail?
Hints
- Where else can air escape when the lips are pressed tightly together?
- How does the manner of articulation modify what happens beyond the primary constriction?
Show the answer
A. The velum lowers for /m/, allowing airstream escape through the nose
Why
Sharing a place of articulation specifies where articulators meet, not the entire acoustic pathway. Nasals sustain complete oral closure whilst venting air nasally via the velum; plosives seal all escape routes entirely. Voicing differences alter fold vibration rather than oral containment.
Practise Classifying Consonants
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More questions on Classifying Consonants
- Why is the label "voiceless alveolar plosive" a set of instructions rather than a name?
- Arrange these manners of articulation from the most complete obstruction of the airstream to the least.
- How many places of articulation does English use for its consonants?
- Roughly what percentage of the world's languages have dental fricatives like the two th sounds of English?
- Which are true of approximants?
- Complete the classification.
- Match each place of articulation to the articulators involved.