Do you find the pronunciation part difficult? Well, you won’t anymore because we are here to help you get familiar with the basics of pronunciation. With this article, you will find about the two types of consonant sounds – Fricative and Affricate, and their sub-categories.
You must have already noticed how we use various parts of our mouths to speak and produce sounds, haven’t you? It is time to understand the role of our vocal tract here. It has the most important role while creating any form of sound. Without an efficiently functioning vocal tract, a person will not be able to speak properly. Let us have a look at the two different categories of sounds produced with the help of the vocal tract.
How to Pronounce Fricatives and Affricates
Fricative and Affricate Consonants are often called the trickiest types of consonants to pronounce. They are characterized by the articulation of their pronunciation.
So what is different between these two? The major distinction is that Fricative Consonants are pronounced through the narrowing of some parts of the vocal tract. On the other hand, the Affricate Consonants are a bit complicated because they begin with an occlusive sound and end with a fricative sound.
These consonants are separated into two kinds: voiceless and voiced. To create voiceless consonants, you don’t utilize your vocal lines. Voiced consonants do utilize your vocal strings.
To see the distinction plainly, put your fingers on the facade of your throat while articulating the models beneath. When making a voiced sound, you will feel a vibration in your throat. For a voiceless consonant, you should feel nothing.
Presently, to more readily comprehend the contrasts among fricatives and affricates, just as how they are articulated, how about we look at them in detail.
Let us dive further into the two consonants to make the concept clearer.
What are Fricative Consonants ?
Fricative consonants are created when we let the air pass through a narrow channel between two articulators. Articulators, here, are any of your vocal organs above the larynx, including the tongue, lips, teeth, and hard palate. As the air passes through these, the fricative consonant sound is produced. Notice that hissing sounds as you try to pronounce fricative consonants.
Fricative consonants are further categorized based on the articulators involved in sound production. Here are the symbols and relevant examples for your reference.
| Names | Symbols | Examples |
| Sibilants | /s/, /z/, /?/, /?/ | Serious, delicious, rose, vision |
| Labiodental | /f/, /v/ | Fight, vase |
| Dental | /?/, /ð/ | Thick, there |
| Alveolar | /s/, /z/ | Soft, zinc |
| Alveolo-Palatal | /?/, /?/ | Shake, seizure |
| Glottal | /h/ | Hat |
What are Affricate Consonants ?
Affricate Consonants are further divided into two categories: Voiced and Voiceless. As the names suggest, we do not use our vocal cord to produce voiceless consonants, whereas the voiced consonants do require the use of a vocal cord.
Mainly, the Affricate Consonant sound is created as you strike the tip of your tongue up towards the back of your front teeth and not let the airflow outside of the mouth. Further, you move your tongue backward behind the alveolar ridge to release the air. Can you feel your vocal cord vibrate in the first step? This vibration is of the Voiced Affricate Consonants. As you release the air in the second step, you pronounce the Voiceless Affricate Consonants.
You may find the Affricate Consonants a bit difficult to pronounce through this procedure, as it is a mixed sound. But no worries! Here are some most commonly used words as examples of Affricate Consonants. These will aid your understanding.
1. Voiced Affricate Consonants
Symbol: /d?/
Examples: Agenda, jar, hedge, jin, job, adjust, judge, jaw, jewel, large, etc.
2. Voiceless Affricate Consonants
Symbol: /t?/
Examples: Cheese, catch, digestion, gesture, chin, choice, cheek, chore, chain, hatch, etc.
Learning to pronounce these consonant sounds can add up as an additional skill and give you a trouble-free reading ability. Do you know what is the best way to practice these consonants on your own? English Bix! You can find here plenty of worksheets and printables for all your learning requirements. These contain specially designed fun activities to make your learning easier and enjoyable. Grab your set today!
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