Practice question · Multiple choice
Why is the label "voiceless alveolar plosive" a set of instructions rather than a name?
Hints
- Ask what happens if you carry out each term in turn.
- Folds apart, tongue tip to the ridge, complete closure and release.
Show the answer
B. Each term specifies one articulatory setting, so following all three produces the sound
Why
Because the three terms are three settings: leave the folds apart, put the tongue tip on the alveolar ridge, make and release a complete closure. Carry them out and /t/ comes out whether or not you knew that was its name, which is what makes the system work for languages you have never heard.
Practise Classifying Consonants
The app has 5 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. Languages I is free to start.
More questions on Classifying Consonants
- 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.
- A student assumes that because /m/ and /p/ are both bilabial consonants, the vocal tract is closed entirely…
- Match each place of articulation to the articulators involved.