Consonants, like vowels, have their own mouth positions. This follows from their having pitch, but, in addition, they require the use of the tongue, lips, etc., in a special way. The principal articulation positions are the following: (1) Between the lips; (2) between the tongue and the hard palate; (3) between the tongue and the soft palate; (4) between the vocal bands.
To indicate this, certain terms have been employed, and as they are in common use by those who treat of this subject, it will be well to explain them.
Explosives are consonants in uttering which there is complete closure with a sudden opening of the resonance-chambers in front, as in b and p.
Fig. 59 (Beaunis). Representation of the relative position of the parts and the resulting shape of the sounding chamber when the consonants indicated are formed vocally. Verification of the truthfulness of the illustrations will prove profitable.
Vibratives call for an almost complete closure of the door and a vibration of its margin, as in r.
Aspirates partly close the opening, which is at once suddenly opened again, as in f, v, etc.
Resonants close the mouth, so the sound must find its way out through the nose, as in m, n, ng.
The above may be put in tabular form as follows: