PHONETICS MANUAL.indd - HumBox

Fig. 35
[m] [p, b]
If the oral closure is alveolar instead of bilabial, [n] is the result. (The slightly different
shape of the oral cavity gives rise to a slightly different sound wave). As you might
expect, the [n] of French, Spanish or Italian — like the corresponding stops — is
dental not alveolar: [n]. 9
Also to be noted is the velar nasal, which is of frequent occurrence in English (ng in
the spelling, e.g. singer, singing). This has the same place of articulation as [k] and [g],
but the same manner of articulation as [m] and [n], specified above. The IPA uses the
symbol [Œ] for this sound: [sIŒ@], [sIŒIŒ]. Its official name is “eng”.
At least that’s the RP pronunciation of singer, singing. Many speakers in the UK always have
a [g] after their [Œ] and therefore pronounce these words [sIŒg@], [sIŒgIŒg]. In RP the [g]
is present only in the pronunciation of some words: finger for example [fIŒg@] (where er is
not a suffix).
Fig. 36 shows the resemblance between [Œ] and [k] — and the crucial difference: the
lowered velum in the case of [Œ].
Fig. 36
[Œ]
[k]
Here is the nasal row of the consonant chart, with an impressive array of symbols
included. The palatal nasal m (“left-tail N”) occurs in French (signe) and Spanish
(señor). Note that a few languages outside Europe even make use of a uvular nasal.
Fig. 37
bilabial
dental
alveolar
palatal velar uvular
labiodental
postalveolar
pharyngeal
glottal
m Õ n n Æ Œ N
9
56 Consonants