Question

What is the place of articulation for /k/?

• A. Alveolar
• B. Palatal
• C. Velar
• D. Labiodental

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Velar

Understanding Place of Articulation: Velar Consonants

• The place of articulation refers to the location in the vocal tract where two articulators (parts of the mouth) come together or close to each other to form a consonant sound.
• For the sound /k/, the place of articulation is Velar.

• What are Velar Sounds?

  • Velar sounds are produced when the back of the tongue (the dorsum) makes contact with or comes very close to the velum (also known as the soft palate), which is the soft, fleshy part at the back of the roof of the mouth.
  • When pronouncing /k/, the back of the tongue presses against the soft palate, completely blocking the airflow momentarily, and then releases it, creating a sharp, percussive sound.

• Other Velar Consonants in English:

  • Besides /k/ (as in 'cat', 'kick'), another common velar consonant in English is /g/ (as in 'go', 'gate'). Both are velar stops/plosives.
  • The sound /ŋ/ (as in 'sing', 'bank') is also a velar sound, specifically a velar nasal, where the velum is lowered to allow air to escape through the nasal cavity.

• Key Phonetic Concepts for Exams:

  • Consonants are primarily classified by three main features: place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing.
  • For /k/:
    • Place of Articulation: Velar
    • Manner of Articulation: Plosive/Stop (airflow is completely blocked and then released).
    • Voicing: Voiceless (vocal cords do not vibrate).
  • Understanding the various places of articulation (e.g., bilabial, labiodental, dental, alveolar, palatal, velar, glottal) is crucial for phonetic analysis.