Consonant

In , one calls consonant one of the human language whose mode of production is characterized by the obstruction of the passage of the air in the cavities located above the glottis. The consonants can be of two types: occlusive when the passage of the air is closed and that the sound results from its sudden opening, continuous when the passage narrows but is not stopped (fricative, side or vibrating).

One consonant is also a letter of which is used to note a its consonant. The French consonants are: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Z.

One can hold the term consonant with the graphic consonants and speech of contoïdes to refer to the phons or phonemes.

API Table

Classification of the consonants

A consonant can be classified according to various criteria:

• By joint. One is interested in the phonological body brought into play at the time of the production of the sound. The consonant bears a name specifying this point: bilabial, dental consonant, velar, etc. Outclass exist for these characters.
• By type of obstruction. It acts of the action which carries out the phonological body. The consonant can be occlusive, fricative, etc.
• By cavity of resonance. This one can be stop, in which case the consonant will be oral, or it nose, and the consonant will be nasal.
• By type of flow. If the air circulates by a central channel, the consonant is known as power station. If on the contrary it circulates on the sides, it is known as side.
• By mechanism at the origin of the flow. The air can come from the lungs, and the consonant is pulmonic. Other mechanisms allow the production of a sound without requiring pulmonary air: it is the case of , of injective and of éjectives.
• By voicing, i.e. if them vocal cords vibrate or not during the emission of the sound. If they vibrate, the consonant known as is voiced (or sound). If not, it is not voiced (or deaf person).
• By duration of emission of the consonant.