VOICE AND SPEECH. 



877 



by the coarse vibration of the vocal cords themselves. In the first two cases 

 it may be sounded either with or without voice. Its vowel nature is shown in 

 such words as pray. 



2. Explosives, which are produced either when an obstruction is suddenly 

 offered to or removed from the exit of air from the mouth ; at the same time 

 a characteristic noise is produced. They may be subdivided according to the 

 place of articulation into labials (p, v) ; linguo-palatals (t, d) ; gutturals (k, g). 

 The similarity in the method of formation of p and b, t and d, k and g, is 

 striking. They are frequently characterized as being formed with or without 

 voice ; that is, b, d, and g require voice for their distinct recognition, and when 

 whispered they are easily mistaken for p, t, k, which latter do not require voice 

 (vibration of the vocal cords) for their recognition. A consonant, then, is said 

 to be formed with voice when it can be rendered distinctly only by an accom- 

 panying vibration of the vocal cords, without voice when articulated clearly 

 without laryngeal aid. The former are sometimes called sonants, the latter 

 surds. This classification only approximates the truth, for the suddenness and 

 energy with which the obstruction to the breath is removed determines our 

 recognition of the consonant irrespective of voice. 1 



Table of Consonantal Elements* 



3. Friction sounds or frictionals, often called aspirates, are all noises pro- 

 duced by the expired blast passing through a constriction in its passage, at 

 which point a vibration is set up. No obstruction being offered to the sound, 

 they are known as continuous as distinguished from the momentary sounds of 

 group 2. They may be divided into labio-dental frictionals, f (without voice) ; 

 v, w (with voice) ; the lingual frictionals s, th (as in them) ; sh, ch soft (with- 

 out voice) ; z, j (with voice). The sound of h may be regarded as due to the 

 vibration of the separated vocal cords. It is peculiar, however, in appearing 

 to be formed in any part of the vocal chamber ; when it is formed the mouth 

 parts take on no peculiar position, but assume that of the vowel following the 

 h, as hark, hear, etc. 



1 Griitzner, op. cit, pp. 211, 213. 



1 Webster's International Dictionary, 1891, p. Ixvi. 



