Classification of consonants on the place of articulation

Key words and expressions:

focus, foci, unicentral, bicentral, labial, lingual, glottal, bilabial, labio-dental, lingual, forelingual, mediolingual, backlingual, apical, cacuminal, place of obstruction

The place of articulation is determined by the active organ of speech against the point of articulation. There may be one place of articulation or focus, or two places of articulation or foci when active organs of speech contact with two points of articulation. In the first case consonants are called uniсentra1, in the second they are biсentra1.

The English fricatives , and affricates , are also bi­central, being articulated with the front part of the tongue raised towards the hard palate. This secondary focus is front (the primary focus is formed by the tip of the tongue against the teeth ridge).

According to the position of the active organ of speech against the point of articulation (i. e. the place of articulation) consonants may be:

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