Phonetics

2.2. Fricatives

1-Definition:                                                                                                   Sous Partie 01

Are consonants made by forcing the breath out from the lungs through a narrow space in the mouth with the lips, tongue…etc.

2-Characteristics of fricative consonants:                                                  Sous Partie 02

Fricatives are characterized by :

1-In the articulation of fricatives the organs are brought together sufficiently to create a narrow channel.

2-The air escapes through a small passage making a “hissing sound”  as a result:

3-Fricatives  are like plosives and affricates which are characterized by a noise component.

Plosives               aspiration.             Fricatives and affricates           friction

4-Fricatives are continuing consonants that is you can continue making them without interruption as long as you have enough air in your lungs: ssssss- zzzzz.

There are nine fricatives in English

                                                             Place of articulation

Labio-dental         dental        alveolar        Palato-alveolar       Glottal

Voiceless            F                            θ                 s                   ʃh

Voiced                V                           ð                   z                 ʒ                

ʃ- ʒ: the soft palate  is raised and the nasal cavity is shut off. The tip of the tongue make a light contact with the back of thee alveolar ridge while the front of the tongue is raisd towards the hard palate. The air escapes through a passage along the center of  the tongue like for s and z but the passage here is wider.                  

Voiceless fricatives have the effect of shortening the preceding vowel, in the same way as voiceless plosives. Eg:   leaf-leave