Fundamental Consonants Allophones

Since all the allophones of the same phoneme differ according to the phonetic context in which they occur, it is necessary to give examples of those allophones which exhibit striking changes of phonetic features.

Noise Consonants

[p] and [b]

1. [p] and [b] become labio-dental when immediately fol­lowed by [f] or [v], e.g. hopeful, subvert.

2. The position of the lips depends on the vowel or the sonorant immediately following [p] or [b]:

   1. the lips are spread, e.g. pea, bed;

   2. the lips are rounded, e.g. paw, bought, pool, boot.

3. Before front, high or mid-open vowels [p] and [b] sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, e.g. peak, big.

4. The explosion takes place nasally when [p, b] are immedi­ately followed by a nasal consonant, e.g. topmost, happen, subma­rine, abnormal.

5. The breath passes out laterally when [p, b] are followed by [1], e.g. plate.

6. When [p, b] are followed by another plosive only one ex­plosion is heard, e.g. kept, subtract.

7. [p] is aspirated in a stressed position followed by a vowel or a diphthong, e.g. park, pound. There is hardly any aspiration when [p] is preceded by [s], e.g. spy, speak.

8. [b] is fully voiced during its second stage when it occurs between two vowels, e.g. labour, about.

[t] and [d]

1. Dental allophones of [t, d] are used before [Ɵ] or [ð], e.g. eighth, width.

2. Post-alveolar allophones of [t, d] are used when they are followed by [r], e.g. trip, drug.

3. The position of the lips depends upon the vowel or the sonorant [w] immediately following [t] or [d]:

   1. the lips are spread, e.g. tea, deep.

   2. the lips are rounded, e.g. twenty, dwell, tool, do.

4. Before front, high or mid-open vowels [t] and [d] sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, e.g. tear, dell.

5. The explosion takes place nasally when [t, d] are immedi­ately followed by a nasal consonant, e.g. kitten, utmost, didn't, admit.

6. The breath passes out laterally when [t, d] are followed by [1], e.g. cattle, riddle.

7. When [t] or [d] are followed by another plosive only one explosion is heard, e.g. football, sideboard.

8. [t] in a stressed position and followed by a vowel or a diphthong is aspirated, e.g. time, town. There is hardly any aspiration when [t] is preceded by [s], e.g. stone.

9. [d] is fully voiced during its second stage when it occurs between two vowels, e.g. reading. In word final position the lenis [d] is only partially voiced, e.g. ride.

[k] and [g]

1. The exact point of articulation of [k, g] is dependent upon the nature of the following vowel. Before the front vowels the point of the contact is more forward and it is farther back before a back vowel, e.g. keep, gas, car, garden.

2. The position of the lips depends on the vowel or the sonorant [w] immediately following [k] or [g]:

   1. the lips are spread, e.g. key, geese.

   2. the lips are rounded, e.g. cool, cord, question, go, good.

3. Before front, high or mid-open vowels [k] and [g] sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, e.g. kill, get.

4. The explosion takes place nasally when [k, g] are immedi­ately followed by a nasal consonant, e.g. banknote, signal, frag­ment.

5. The breath passes out laterally when [k, g] are followed by [1], e.g. club, clever, ugly, eagle.

6. When [k, g] are followed by another plosive only one ex­plosion is heard, e.g. blackboard, rugby.

7. [k] is aspirated in a stressed position followed by a vowel or a diphthong, e.g. cur, kind. There is hardly any aspiration when [k] is preceded by [s], e.g. square.

8. [g] is fully voiced during its second stage when it occurs between two vowels, e.g. cigar. In word final position the lenis [g] is only partially voiced, e.g. fog.