Definitions Flashcards
Alveodental
Alveodental sounds - ny, dj, tj
The tip of the tongue is behind the bottom teeth while the blade of the tongue is pushed towards the upper gum ridge. Alveodentals are sometimes called alveopalatal, or palatal.
Alveolar
Alveolar sounds are: l, n, d, t
The tip of the tongue is on the upper gum ridge (just behind the top teeth).
Aspirated
In English some stops are followed by a puff of air (like the p in pig). You can test this by holding a piece of paper over your mouth and seeing it flicker. Stops in Yolŋu languages are never aspirated.
Bilabial
Both lips are together. The bilabial sounds are: m, b, p and w.
Glottal
Produced in the glottis (ie the narrow opening at the top of the windpipe, between the vocal chords). Glottal stop is symbolised by an apostrophe (‘). Always voiceless.
Interdental
The interdental sounds are: nh, dh and th. The tip of the tongue is between the teeth. The English words this and thick also start with interdentals, but these are not stops. The Yolŋu sounds dh and th are both stops. Some Yolŋu languages have no interdentals.
Liquids
The air stream from the mouth is over the centre (r, rr) or around the sides (l, ḻ) of the tongue.
Nasals
The air stream is through the nose. The nasals are m, n, ṉ, nh, ny and ŋ.
Retroflexed
The tongue is curled back, the underneath part of the tongue facing (and in some cases touching) the roof of the mouth (or hard palate). The retroflexed sounds are: r, ḻ, ṉ, ḏ and ṯ. All underlined sounds are retroflexed.
Stops
The air stream is completely blocked. Yolŋu stops are: b, d, ḏ, dh, dj, g, p, t, ṯ, th, k and ‘. Some stops are ‘voiced’ and some are ‘voiceless’.
Velar
The tip of the tongue lies flat in the mouth, while the back of the tongue touches the soft palate. The velar sounds are: ŋ, g, k.
Voiced
The vocal chords vibrate. The voiced stops are b, d, ḏ, dh, dj and g. All liquids, continuant nasals are also voiced.
Voiceless
The vocal chords do not vibrate. Yolŋu voiceless sounds are all stops: p, t, ṯ, th, tj, k and ‘.
