Visual classification of speech sounds

Abstract

A visual classification of English speech sounds is presented. Different criteria are used for vowels and for consonants. Vowels are characterized by the position of the lips and jaw opening. Accordingly, four groups differing in lip position (spread, half-spread, neutral, round) and four differing in jaw opening (closed, half-closed, half open and open) can be distinguished. Diphthongs are described as vowel glides. In the classification of consonants, visible articulatory organs are considered. This makes possible discrimination of seven basic groups: bilabial-spread, bilabial-protruded, labio-dental, interdental, lingual-dentalized, lingual-non-dentalized, and empty. Within each group long consonants (corresponding to fricatives and liquids) and short consonants (stops and affricates) are distinguished. At the same time, the voiced consonants are classified as weak, and the voiceless ones as strong.

Key Words:

• Visual phonetics
• criteria
• lip-reading