The Classification of Consonants

[p] − bilabial, occlusive, plosive, voiceless consonant

[b] − bilabial, occlusive, plosive, voiced consonant

[t] − forelingual, alveolar, apical, plosive, occlusive, voiceless consonant

[d] − forelingual, alveolar, apical, plosive, occlusive, voiced consonant

[s] − forelingual, alveolar, apical, constrictive, fricative, voiceless consonant

[z] − forelingual, alveolar, apical, constrictive, fricative, voiced consonant

[Ө] − forelingual, interdental, apical, constrictive, fricative, voiceless consonant

[Ә] − forelingual, interdental, apical, constrictive, fricative, voiced consonant

[∫] − forelingual, alveolar, palatal, constrictive, voiceless consonant

[ ] − forelingual, alveolar, palatal, constrictive, voiceless consonant

[t∫] − forelingual, alveolar, palatal, occlusive, voiceless affricate

[d ] - forelingual, alveolar, palatal, occlusive, voiced affricate

[j] − medialingual, palatal, constrictive, sonorant

[m] − bilabial, occlusive, nasal sonorant

[n] − forelingual, alveolar, apical, occlusive, nasal sonorant

[ŋ] − backlingual, occlusive, nasal sonorant

[l] − forelingual, alveolar, apical, lateral sonorant

[r] − forelingual, cacuminal, constrictive, sonorant

[w] − bilabial, backlingual, constrictive, sonorant

[f] − labio-dental, constrictive, fricative, voiceless consonant

[v] − labio-dental, constrictive, fricative, voiced consonant

[k] − backlingual, occlusive, plosive, voiceless consonant

[g] − backlingual, occlusive, plosive, voiced consonant

[h] − pharyngal, constrictive, voiceless consonant

The Classification of Vowels

[e] − front, mid, narrow variation, short, non-labiolized monophthong

[І] −front retracted, high, broad variation, short, non-labiolized monophthong

[ə] − neutral, mixed, mid, broad variation, short, non-labiolized (unstessed) monophthong

[i:] − front, high, narrow variation, long, diphthongoid

[a:] − back, low, broad variation, long, non-labiolized, monophthong

[|o] − back, low, broad variation, short, labiolized monophthong

[u:] − back, high, narrow variation, long, labiolized diphthongoid

[υ] − back advanced, high, broad variation, short, labiolized monophthong

[3:] − mixed, mid, narrow variation, long, non-labiolized monophthong

[o:] − back, low, narrow variation, long, labiolized monophthong

[æ] − front, low, broad variation, non-labiolized, half-long, monophthong

[Λ] − mixed, mid, broad variation, short, non-labiolized, monophthong

Diphthongs [εə] hair, [ei] play, [ai] five, [iə] near, [uə] pure, [au] now, [oi] join, [ou] home

three element sounds or “threephthongs” − [aiə] drier, [ouə] lower, [auə] plougher

These combinations can be met in the clusters of two morphemes (stem + suffix) or inside a stem morpheme e.g. go+er= goer [gou-ə], high+er= higher [hai-ə], or flower [flau-ə], fire [fai-ə].

Three element sound consist of 2 syllables [ai-ə], [ou-ə], [au-ə]

Loss of Plosion

This phonetic phenomenon takes place when two plosives are in contact, there happens a complete loss of plosion of the first sound, that is the obstruction is removed and a plosion is heard only after the second consonant (tt, tb, tg, db, dk, dp, dt, gk, gp, gt, kt, kk, kb, kd, kg, pt, pb, pd, etc.)

e.g.: Blackboard, midday. What kind of book is it?

Nasal Plosion

This phonetic phenomenon takes place at the junction of the plosive consonants [t, d, p, k, g] with the nasal sonorants [m,n], the articulation of the sonorant starts when the articulation of the plosive is not yet finished. As a result of this, instead of removing the obstruction in the mouth cavity, the air stream passes through the nasal cavity producing the effect of nasal plosion. This phenomenon is regarded as one of the cases of assimilation of English consonants.

e.g.: shouldn’t, wouldn’t. Send me a letter.

Lateral Plosion

This phonetic phenomenon takes place at the junction of the plosive consonants [t, d, p, k, g] with the lateral sonorant [l], the plosion is heard during the pronunciation of the sonorant as the air stream passes along the sides of the tongue, lowered for the articulation of [l]. This case of assimilation is known as lateral plosion.

e.g.: kettle, club, standard-lamp. I don’t like it.

Fricative Plosion

This phonetic phenomenon takes place when a plosive consonant preceding a fricative consonant in a word or at a junction of words has its release during the pronunciation of the fricative.

e.g.: let’s, what’s, kinds, upside

Assimilation

Alveolar consonants before [Ө, Ә]

At the junction of the alveolar consonants [t, d, n, l, s, z] and the interdental consonants [ ] regressive assimilation () affecting the place of articulation is observed: the alveolar consonants are represented by their dental variants.

e.g.: ninth, sixteenth, about the text.

Combinations of Consonants with [w]

Consonants preceding [w], especially in a stressed syllable, are liprounded (labiolized), i.e. regressive assimilation () affecting the position of lips takes place.

e.g. twist, quater, switch, dweller, wigwam.

When the consonant [w] is preceded by a voiceless consonant there is also some devoicing of the sonorant (progressive assimilation () affecting the work of the vocal cords). The devoicing is especially strong after [t,k] in a sressed syllable, and is weaker in unstressed syllables and at syllable or word boundary. Thus in clusters [tw, kw, sw] double (reciprocal) assimilation takes place.

e.g.: twenty, quiet, sweep

Combinations of voiceless consonants with [r] [tr, kr, str, spr, skr, fr, sr, ∫r, Өr]

In the clusters of voiceless consonants with [r] complete or partial devoicing of the sonorant takes place (progressive assimilation  affecting the work of the vocal cords). The sound [r] is completely devoiced when it is preceded by the voiceless plosive consonant [p, t, k] in a stressed syllable.

e.g.: train, pride, cry.

In an unstressed position, at a word boundary or when [p, t, k] are preceded by [s] the devoicing of [r] is partial

e.g.: waitress, temperature, spread, quite right.

Partial devoicing of the sonorant [r] is also observed when it is preceded by a voiceless fricative consonant in a stressed syllable.

e.g.: shrewd, three, fruit

In an unstressed position and at word boundaries a voiceless fricative influences the sonorant only in rapid speech.

Combinations of alveolar and interdental consonants with [r]

In some of the consonant clusters with the sonorant [r] assimilation affecting the place and the manner of articulation can be observed. Thus under the influence of the post-alveolar [r] the alveolar consonants [t, d] in the clusters [tr, dr] become post-alveolar. The clusres [tr, dr] are actually characterized by double (reciprocal  ) assimilation: under the influence of the noise consonants [t,d] the sonorant [r] becomes fricative (after [t] it is also devoiced).

In the clusters [Өr, Әr] the post-alveolar frictionless sound [r] is often replaced by an alveolar tap variety of [r] (a single brief tap is made by the tip of the tongue on the teeth ridge). In the cluster [Өr], besides, there’s partial devoicing of the sonorant [r]