Practice question · Match the pairs
Match each structure to the contrast it controls.
- Vocal folds
- Velum
- Lips
- Tongue body
- Oral against nasal
- Voiced against voiceless
- Front against back vowel quality
- Rounded against unrounded
Hints
- Each structure is responsible for one major dimension.
- The structure that opens the nose controls nasality.
Show the answer
- Vocal folds → Voiced against voiceless
- Velum → Oral against nasal
- Lips → Rounded against unrounded
- Tongue body → Front against back vowel quality
Why
Four structures, four independent dimensions, which is why a sound can be described by stating the setting of each rather than by memorising a list. Any combination is in principle possible, and languages differ in which combinations they use.
Practise How Speech Is Produced
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