What Are Stop Consonants?
Stop Consonants in English are /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/ and /ʔ/, which is a glottal stop. They are called Stop Consonants because they “stop” the airflow. The tongue usually does that. When we produce the /d/ or /t/, the tip comes in contact with the gum behind the upper teeth. On the other hand, when we produce the /k/ or /g/, it’s the back of the tongue that goes up and backwards to press against the soft palate in the back of the mouth. Whereas pronouncing /p/ and /b/ involves the lips only, not the tongue. Finally the glottal stop is the sound of the throat suddenly repressing or chocking the air. It is the sound you’ll hear at the beginning of a cough for example.
The Problem with Stop Consonants
Stop Consonants are not always exactly pronounced in the same manner, hence the problem. For example, when /p/ /t/ and /k/ are pronounced in the beginning of the words in words such as [pet] [time] and [cat], they are “aspirated”, which means they are produced with a small puff of air. On the other hand, when /p/ /t/ and /k/ are pronounced in the end of the words in words such as [tap] [bet] and [duck], they are usually “unaspirated”.
Another problem with Stop Consonants occurs when they form part of consonants clusters such as /pt/ as in [stopped], /kt/ in [parked], /ft/ in [coughed], /skt/ in [basked] etc. Those consonants clusters completely or partially consisting of Stop Consonants can be even painful for all English learners but especially for Asian learners of English whose languages do not have that sound feature.
Practice The Following Tongue Twister
Craig’s affair with Doug’s Ex-wife
By Patrick Hayeck
Doug’s ex-wife Meg was exceptionally exceptional except her accent. Meg’s exterior exceeded
dʌgz eks wʌɪf meg wəz ɪksepʃənli ɪksepʃənəl əkseptɚ æksənt. megz ɪkstiriɚ ɪksiːt̬əd
any bloke’s expectations and excited all Doug’s Fedex’s colleagues big league. Doug often
eni bloʊks ekspekteɪʃənzən ɪksaɪt̬ət̬ ɑːl dʌgz fet̬eks kɑliːgz bɪg liːg dʌg ʌfən
bragged about Meg’s looks in front of his colleagues, Axel, Rex, Craig, Zack and Vick. Craig’s
brægd əbaʊʔ megz lʊksən frʌnəvəz kɑliːgz, æksəl, reks, kreɪg, zækən vɪk. kreɪgz
extra eccentric , he’d mock Doug saying “Hey Doug, you ex-convict pig, you’ve got a frog’s face,
ekstrə ɪksentrɪk, hid mɑk dʌg seɪɪŋ “heɪ dʌg juː eks kɑːnvɪkt pɪg, juv gʌt̬ə frɑgz feɪs,
your wig’s like a fig on an egg’s head, your mouth reeks of bugs’ pee and your butt, no
jɚ wɪgz lʌɪkə fɪgʌnən egz hed, jɚ maʊθ riːksəv bʌgz piːjən jɚ bʌt, noʊ
exaggeration, is six thousand six hundred and sixty six pixels wide. My dear colleagues, this
ɪgzædʒɚeɪʃən, əsɪks θaʊzən sɪks hʌndrədᵊn sɪksti sɪks pɪksəlz waɪd. mʌɪ diːr kɑliːgz ðɪs
chick’s out of Doug’s league. She’s Hague’s finest, she’s got long waxed legs, rosy cheeks and the
tʃɪks aʊt̬əv dʌgz liːg. ʃiz heɪgz faɪnəst, ʃiz gɑʔ lɑːŋ wækst legz, roʊzi tʃiːksənə
sexiest pair of jugs”. “Bullocks” would exclaim Doug “Craig’s a crazy jealous dog who never
seksiəst peɚəv dʒʌgz”. “bɑləks” wʊt̬ɪkskleɪm dʌg “kreɪgzə kreɪzi dʒeləs dɑːg hu nevɚ
digs chicks, he lives in exile, sticks around his house for weeks without exit, that flags him as an
dɪgz tʃɪks, hi lɪvzən egzaɪᵊl, stɪks ɚraʊnəz haʊs fɚ wiːks wəðaʊt̬ egzɪʔ, ðæt flægzəməzən
exasperated man who lacks expertise with women.” Yikes. Little did Doug know Meg’s extended
ɪgzæspɚeɪt̬əd mæn hu lɑks jekspɚtiːz wəð wɪmən.” jʌɪks. lɪt̬əl dɪdʌg noʊ megz ɪkstendə
jogs and aerobic exercises were in fact dates with his ol’ buddy Craig.
dʒɑgzən eːɚoʊbɪk eksɚsʌɪsəz wɚən fækt deɪts wəðəz oʊl bʌt̬i kreɪg.
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