Soft and voiceless consonants. Consonants

When spoken voiced consonants the air flow creates vibrations of the vocal cords. If the vocal cords are not used, the sound is considered deaf.

But in Russian, a voiced letter does not always denote a voiced sound (and vice versa: a voiceless consonant does not always denote a voiceless sound). It depends on the position of the letter in the word.

Voiced consonant often stunned at the end of a word. For example, in the word “colander” we read “k” at the end because the sound is in a weak position. Can also be stunned before a voiceless consonant. For example, we pronounce the word “gait” as “plowing”.

To determine which letter will be written correctly, the letter must be placed in a strong position in a word with the same root (that is, before the vowel or consonants M, L, N, R).

For example: “boat” - “boat”, “mushroom” - “mushroom”.

Table

Also paired in deafness/voicing are pairs of soft consonants from those indicated in the table. For example: “b’ - p’”, “v’ - f’”.

Hard and soft

In words, the same letter can represent both hard and soft sounds. This is due to the influence of subsequent consonants on softness/hardness. Hard consonants sound before A, O, U, Y, E, soft consonants sound before I, E, Yo, Yu, I.

Table

In the Russian language there are voiced and voiceless consonants. When studying phonetics (the study of speech sounds) and graphics (the study of letters of the alphabet), it is necessary to clearly know which sounds are unvoiced and which are voiced.

What is it for?

The fact is that in the Russian language, letters denoting voiced consonants are not necessarily read voiced in all cases. There are also cases when letters denoting dull sounds are read loudly. The correct correlation of letters and sounds will significantly help in learning the rules of writing words.

Let us examine in more detail what the concepts of deafness and voicedness mean. The formation of voiced consonants occurs due to noise and voice: the air stream not only overcomes the obstacle in the oral cavity, but also vibrates the vocal cords.

• The following sounds are voiced: b, v, g, d, zh, z, l, m, n, r, y.
• However, in phonetics, from this series of sounds, the so-called sonorant sounds are also distinguished, which are as close as possible in their characteristics to vowel sounds: they can be sung and prolonged in speech. These sounds include y, r, l, n, m.

Voiceless consonant sounds are pronounced without the participation of the voice, only with the help of noise, while the vocal cords are relaxed.

• These letters and sounds include the following: k, p, s, t, f, x, c, ch, sh, shch. In order to make it easier to remember all the voiceless consonants in the Russian language, you need to learn the phrase: “Styopka, do you want shchetc?” - “Fi!” All consonant sounds in it are unvoiced.

Pairs of voiced and voiceless consonants

Voiced and unvoiced sounds and the letters denoting them are contrasted in Russian and form pairs:

1. b-p,
2. w-f,
3. g-k,
4. d-t,
5. ss,
6. w-sh.

If we take into account that the consonants in these pairs can also be soft (except zh-sh), then there are a total of 11 contrasting pairs of deafness and voicedness. The listed sounds are called paired. The remaining voiced and unvoiced sounds do not have pairs. The voiced unpaired ones include the above sonorants, and the voiceless ones include x, c, ch, shch. The table of consonants presented on our website will help you study these sounds in more detail.

Click on the picture to print a table with voiced and voiceless consonants

How is it that letters in the Russian alphabet can represent several sounds?

Features of the pronunciation of a sound are often predetermined by its position in the word. Thus, a voiced sound at the end of a word is deafened, and this position of the sound is called “weak”. Stunning can also occur before the next voiceless consonant, for example: pond, booth. We write voiced consonants and pronounce: twig, butka.

Conversely, a voiceless consonant can become voiced if it is followed by a voiced sound: threshing, but we pronounce malad ba. Knowing this feature of Russian phonetics, we check the spelling of consonants at the end and middle of a word using test words: molotba - thresh, pond-ponds, booth - booth. We select the test word so that after the dubious consonant there is a vowel.

To remember what a sound is according to its characteristics, it is necessary to make mental associations of the sound with some object, event or natural sound. For example, the sound sh is similar to the rustling of leaves, and the sound z is similar to the hum of bees. The association will help you find your way in time. Another way is to create a phrase with a specific set of sounds.

Thus, knowing the letter-sound relationship is extremely important for spelling and correct pronunciation. Without studying phonetics, it is impossible to study and correctly perceive the melody of a language.

Video lesson about voiced and voiceless consonants:

Tralik and Valik about voiced and voiceless consonants

Another video lesson for children with riddles about voiced and voiceless consonants

Alexei Nikolaevich Tolstoy said that there is nothing sedimentary or crystalline in the Russian language; everything excites, breathes, lives. Such “liveness” of our native language is the merit of the words that make up it. But before you learn to use them, you need to learn the letters and sounds. They will be discussed in this article.

When learning a language with your child, you need to clearly make him understand the differences between spoken and written language. To do this, it is important to give him the concept of what a sound is and what a letter is.

Sounds are what we perceive with our ears. Our brain easily separates what relates to speech from other sounds and interprets them into images. We can write down the sounds of speech in letters, forming words from them.

A letter is a graphic symbol of the alphabet, thanks to which we can display on paper what we hear by ear. But here lies a very big difficulty for the child. After all, the number of sounds and letters that reproduce them on paper in different words may differ in one direction or the other.

How many letters and sounds are there in the Russian language and alphabet and their relationship

IMPORTANT: We hear and can produce sounds with our speech apparatus. We can see and write letters! Sounds exist in all languages. Even in those where there is no written language.

In a word like "chair" letters correspond to sounds. But, in the word "sun", the letter "L" not pronounced. Letters are also not pronounced "Kommersant" And "b". They only slightly change the pronunciation of the words in which they are used.

There is also such a “school” word as "Compass". In which instead of sound [AND] sound is pronounced [s].

There are still a lot of words in the Russian language that are pronounced differently from how they are written in letters. Therefore, it is very important for a child to learn to correctly understand this difference.

Alphabet

Language is the main invention of mankind. Moreover, for every nation that has created its own language, it is distinguished by the characteristics peculiar to this people. At a certain stage in the development of a community that a particular people uses, there is a need to record speech sounds combined into words and sentences. This is how writing appeared, and at the same time the alphabet. That is, a set of all the letters used in writing, standing in strict order.

The alphabet of the Russian language contains 33 letters and looks like this:

The alphabet is the basis of any language that everyone who studies it needs to know. Is it possible to learn to speak without knowing the alphabet? Certainly. But, in addition to the ability to express your thoughts, you need to learn to write and read. And this is impossible to do without knowing the alphabet.

Today, children have a lot of different aids for learning the alphabet. You can buy special flash cards, magnets, and a small primer that your child can take with him on walks or trips.

In our computerized era, electronic gadgets can also be called upon to help in learning the alphabet. Type letters in text apps and name the sounds that teach them. You can use your imagination and use graphic editors, change fonts and add fills. Create your own alphabet that will be interesting to your child. Then learning will go faster and more efficiently.

INTERESTING: Teachers have come up with a very interesting and exciting way to learn the alphabet. Dedicate each new day in your family to one of the letters of the alphabet. Of course, we shouldn’t forget about the rest. Bake letter-shaped buns, make letters from plasticine with your child, draw them, assemble them from counting sticks. Be sure to tell about the letter the day is dedicated to and give examples of its use.

Vowel sounds and letters

Introducing your child to the alphabet is a very exciting activity. But this is only one of the first steps in mastering the language. To continue studying its elementary units, you need to learn how to divide them according to their characteristics.

Those letters that are pronounced drawlingly are called vowels.

• There are 10 vowels in Russian “A”, “E”, “Y”, “I”, “O”, “U”, “Y”, “E”, “Yu”, “I”
• 6 vowel sounds [a], [o], [y], [e], [i], [s]. Typically, vowel sounds in the school curriculum should be highlighted in red.

We have already clarified the difference between the elementary particles of language.

Letters I, Yo, Yu, E - iotized. They involve one or two sounds.

From this table, this difference can be seen again:

INTERESTING: By the way, about the letter “Y”. Today it is mistakenly believed that Karamzin introduced it into our alphabet. But that's not true. This was done by the director of the St. Petersburg Academy, Princess Ekaterina Dashkova, on November 18, 1783 at a meeting on the occasion of the creation of the first explanatory dictionary in Russia. She suggested changing the letters “IO” to one “E”.

Stressed and unstressed vowel sounds

• Stressed vowel sound pronounced with great force and does not undergo changes.

For example: sn e g, st ý l, shk A f

• Unstressed vowel sound pronounced with little force and undergoes changes.

For example: To ABOUT rzina (heard instead of ABOUT, sound A), m E dva d (In the first unstressed vowel sound instead E, can be heard AND), pl E cho (vowel sound AND is heard instead E).

IMPORTANT: Stress is not placed in words with one syllable and in words with a letter Yo.

Vowels Yotated letters Ya, Yu, E, Yo soften the consonant sound in front of them and create one sound: e → [e] or [i], е → [o], yu → [u], i → [a ].

For example:

• At the beginning of the word: hedgehog [y’ozhik]
• In the middle of a word: shelter [pri y’ut]
• At the end of the word: gun [roug y'o]

Hard and soft vowels have a direct effect on consonants. For example, a consonant "P", maybe as solid (in the word "plastic bag"), and soft (in the word "cookie").

Consonants and letters

Consonant letters are called such because they contain consonant sounds. There are 36 consonant sounds in the Russian language:

An apostrophe marks soft sounds.
And 21 consonants:

Consonant letters and sounds, soft and hard: table

Consonants, like vowels, can be either hard or soft. For example, in the word "River", beech "R" soft, but in a word "Hand"– hard. In general, several factors influence the softness and hardness of sounds in a word. For example, the location of a sound in a word. The sounds are softened by iota vowels ( "E", "Yo", "YU" And "I") and diphthongs that come after consonants. For example:

• "White"
• "Love"
• "Friday"

The letter also softens sounds "AND", and its antipode "Y", on the contrary, makes the sound hard. The presence of a soft sign at the end of a word plays an important role:

• "Linen" And "laziness"

A soft sign can soften the sound, even if it is inside a word:

• "Skates"

Voiceless and voiced consonants in Russian: table

Consonants can be voiced or unvoiced. Voiced sounds are obtained with the participation of the voice in the formation of sound. Whereas in the formation of a dull sound, the voice practically does not play its creative role.

Voiced consonants

are formed by the passage of an air stream through the mouth and vibration of the vocal cords. Thanks to this, consonants such as:

When forming voiceless consonants

To make it easy to remember voiceless consonants, remember the expression: STYOPKA DO YOU WANT CHEEK? - FI! All consonants in these words are voiceless.

If you delete all the vowels from this expression, only voiceless consonants will remain.

Paired and unpaired hard and soft consonants: table

In terms of hardness and softness, most sounds form pairs:

Paired and unpaired voiced and voiceless consonants: table

In the Russian language, it is customary to distinguish pairs of voiceless-voiced consonants:

The remaining consonants are unpaired:

Sometimes there is “forced” deafness or sonority of a consonant sound. This occurs due to the position of the sound in the word. A frequent example of such a forced state is the words: pond [rod] And booth [booth].

Sonorous- voiced unpaired consonant sounds. There are only 9 of them: [th’], [l], [l’], [m], [m’], [n], [n’], [r], [r’]

Noisy consonant sounds - there are voiced and voiceless:

1. Noisy voiceless consonants(16): [k], [k'], [p], [p'], [s], [s'], [t], [t'], [f], [f'], [ x], [x'], [ts], [h'], [w], [w'];
2. Noisy voiced consonants(11): [b], [b'], [c], [c'], [g], [g'], [d], [d'], [g], [z], [z '].

Summary table of commonly used soft and hard letters and sounds in the Russian language:

Sibilant consonants

Consonants "AND", "SH", "H" And "SCH" called sizzling. These letters add some zest to our language. At the same time, they make it very difficult. Even while learning these letters, the child should know the rules:

• "ZHI" — "SHI" write from "AND"
• "CHA" — "SHA" with a letter "A"
• "CHU" — "SHU" with a letter "U"

Letter "AND" voiced, and the other three ( "H", "SH" And "SCH") deaf. An important feature of these sounds is that they cannot be pronounced without opening the mouth. Compare their pronunciation with the pronunciation "M" or "N". To pronounce sibilant consonants, there must be a gap between the lips through which air will escape, creating an acoustic accompaniment for these sounds.

The letter “and short” denotes the consonant sound th

Letter "Y" or "And short" found in almost all Slavic alphabets, as well as in those non-Slavic alphabets that use the Cyrillic alphabet. In the Russian alphabet this letter occupies 11th place. It was formed from the vowel "AND" and a voiced consonant "J".

It is interesting that in the 18th century, when the civil script was introduced (as opposed to the church script), all superscript characters disappeared from it. And the letter "Y" an important part of her was missing. At the same time, the sound denoted by this letter “did not suffer” from such reforms. Return "Y" writing succeeded under Peter I. However, it was not returned to the alphabet. This was done only in the 20th century.

Today, more and more philologists attribute sound "Y" to sonorant consonants. That is, those sounds that are located between vowels and consonants, but still relate to a consonant. In addition, it is always considered soft.

Which letters have multiple sounds?

Letters and sounds tape for elementary school

Various manuals help very well in learning the Russian language. One of these benefits is "Summer of Letters". It helps to understand the difference between letters, quickly develop reading skills in children and facilitate phonetic analysis of words.

At least at first glance "Ribbon of Letters" carries a minimum of information, this is far from true. This manual can be used not only at school, but also at home. Parents can independently teach their child literacy using this tool.

"Ribbon of letters" You can buy it at an office supply store or make it yourself. For example, you can use this diagram.

Video. Native language lessons 1st grade

What is sound? This is the minimum component of human speech. Depicted in letters. In written form, sounds are distinguished from letters by the presence of square brackets at the first, which are used in phonetic transcription. The letter is o, the sound is [o]. The transcription shows differences in spelling and pronunciation. Apostrophe [ ‘ ] indicates soft pronunciation.

In contact with

The sounds are divided into:

• Vowels. They can be pulled easily. During their creation, the tongue does not take an active part, being fixed in one position. The sound is created due to changes in the position of the tongue, lips, various vibrations of the vocal cords and the force of air supply. Length of vowels – basis of vocal art(chanting, “singing smoothly”).
• Consonant sounds a are pronounced with the participation of the tongue, which, occupying a certain position and shape, creates an obstacle to the movement of air from the lungs. This leads to noise in the oral cavity. At the output they are converted into sound. Also, the free passage of air is hampered by the lips, which close and open during speech.

Consonants are divided into:

• voiceless and voiced. Deafness and sonority of sound depend on the functioning of the speech apparatus;
• hard and soft. The sound is determined by the position of the letter in the word.

Letters representing consonants

Deaf

Voiceless in Russian: [k], [p], [s], [t], [f], [x], [ts], [sh]. The easiest way to remember is a phrase, and not a set of letters, “Styopka, do you want a cheek? Fi!” containing them all.

An example in which all consonant sounds are unvoiced: rooster, honeycomb, pin.

Voiced

When they are formed, the shape of the tongue is close to the form that produces voiceless sounds, but vibrations are added. Voiced consonant sounds create active vibrations of the ligaments. Vibrations deform the sound wave, and not a pure stream of air enters the oral cavity, but sound. Subsequently, it is further transformed by the tongue and lips.

Voiced consonants include: b, c, g, d, g, z, j, l, m, n, r.

When they are pronounced, tension is clearly felt in the larynx area. In addition, it is almost impossible to speak them clearly in a whisper.

A word in which all consonants are voiced: Rome, pride, ash, estuary.

Summary table of consonants (voiceless and voiced).

It is due to the change in sound that Russian speech is enriched with various words that are similar in spelling and pronunciation, but completely different in meaning. For example: house - volume, court - itch, code - year.

Paired consonants

What does pairing mean? Two letters that are similar in sound and, when pronounced, take similar positions with the tongue, are called paired consonants. The pronunciation of consonants can be divided into one-stage (lips and tongues are involved in their creation) and two-stage - the ligaments are connected first, then the mouth. Those cases when, during pronunciation, mouth movements coincide and create pairs.

Summary table of paired consonants taking into account hardness and softness

In speech, it is common not to pronounce each letter, but to “eat” it. This is not an exception only for Russian speech. This is found in almost all languages ​​of the world and is especially noticeable in English. In Russian, this effect is subject to the rule: paired consonant sounds replace (auditory) each other during speech. For example: love – [l’ u b o f’].

But not everyone has their own pair. There are some that are not similar in pronunciation to any others - these are unpaired consonants. The reproduction technique differs from the pronunciation of other sounds and combines them into groups.

Paired consonants

Unpaired consonants

The first group can be pronounced softly. The second has no analogues in pronunciation.

Unpaired consonants are divided into:

• sonors – [th’], [l], [l’], [m], [m’], [n], [n’], [r], [r’]. When they are pronounced, a stream of air hits the upper sky, like a dome;
• hissing – [x], [x’], [ts], [h’], [sch’].

The Russian language contains letters that are difficult to understand in context. Are the sounds [ch], [th], [ts], [n] voiced or unvoiced? Learn these 4 letters!

Important![h] - deaf! [th] - sonorous! [ts] is deaf! [n] – sonorous!

Unpaired consonants

Hard and soft

They are the same in spelling, but different in sound. Voiceless and voiced consonants, with the exception of hissing ones, can be pronounced hard or soft. For example: [b] was – [b`] beat; [t] current – ​​[t`] flowed.

When pronouncing hard words, the tip of the tongue is pressed against the palate. Soft ones are formed by pressing to the upper palate of the middle part of the tongue.

In speech, the sound is determined by the letter following the consonant.

Vowels form pairs: a-ya, u-yu, e-e, y-i, o-yo.

Double vowels (I, ё, yu, e) are pronounced in one of two combinations: the sound [th] and a paired vowel from E, O, U, A, or a soft sign and a paired vowel. For example, the word cabin boy. It is pronounced [y] [y] [n] [g] [a]. Or the word mint. It is pronounced as: [m’] [a] [t] [a]. The vowels A, O, U, E, Y do not have a double sound, therefore do not affect the pronunciation of the preceding consonant.

Example difference:

A spoon is a hatch, honey is a sea, a house is a woodpecker.

Phonetic transcription:

[Spoon] – [L’ u k], [m’ o d] – [m o r’ e], [house] – [d’ a t e l].

Pronunciation rules:

• solid ones are pronounced before A, O, U, E, Y. Abscess, side, beech, Bentley, former;
• soft ones are pronounced before Ya, Yo, Yu, E, I. Revenge, honey, whale, mashed potatoes, mint;
• hard ones are pronounced if they are followed by another consonant: death. After the consonant [s] there is a consonant [m]. Regardless of whether the M is soft, voiced or hard, the S is pronounced firmly;
• hard ones are pronounced if the letter comes last in the word: class, house;
• Consonants before the vowel [e] in borrowed words are pronounced firmly, as before [e]. For example: muffler – [k] [a] [w] [n] [e];
• always soft before b: elk, pulp.
• exceptions to the rules:
  • always solid F, W, C: life, thorns, cyanide;
  • always soft Y, H, Sh: white, black, pike.

Attention! A voiceless letter does not always represent the same sound. It depends on the position in the word.

Hard and soft sounds

Stun

The Russian language has a concept of stunning - some voiced ones sound like deaf ones consonant sounds from a pair.

This is not a speech defect, but, on the contrary, is considered a criterion for its purity and correctness. But this rule only works with paired consonants. For example, [g] in speech is often replaced by [x]. This refers to a defect, since [g], which is close to [x], is considered a distinctive feature of the Ukrainian language. Its use in Russian speech is incorrect. The exception is the word God.

Rules and examples:

• the letter is the last in the word: tooth - [zup], ice hole - [p r o r u p’];
• after the letter there is a voiceless consonant: russula - [raw cheese).

There is a reverse process - voicing. Means that in speech voiceless ones are pronounced as their counterparts to voiced ones. Voicing is justified when they come before voiced consonants: transaction - [z d' e l k a].

Consonants, voiced and voiceless, hard and soft

Consonant sounds are voiced and unvoiced. Russian language lesson in 5th grade

In the Russian language, voiced and voiceless consonants are distinguished by the participation/non-participation of the voice in the formation of the consonant sound.

The following consonants are voiced: [b], [b'], [c], [c'], [d], [g'], [d], [d'], [g], [h], [h'], [ th'], [l], [l'], [m], [m'], [n], [n'], [p], [p'].

The sound [zh’], found in the speech of individuals in the words yeast, reins and some others, is also voiced.

The following consonants are voiceless: [ k], [k'], [p], [p'], [s], [s'], [t], [t'], [f], [f'], [x], [x '] [ts], [h'], [w], [w'].

To remember which consonants are unvoiced, there is a mnemonic rule (rule for memorization): in the phrase “Styopka, do you want a shetz?” - “Fi!” contains all voiceless consonants.

There are 11 pairs of consonants contrasted in deafness / voicedness: [b] - [p], [b'] - [p'], [v] - [f], [v'] - [f'], [g] - [k], [g'] - [k'], [d] - [t], [d'] - [t'], [z] - [s], [z'] - [s'], [g] – [w]. The listed sounds are, respectively, either voiced pairs or voiceless pairs.

The remaining consonants are characterized as unpaired. Voiced unpaired ones include [й'], [l], [l'], [m], [m'], [n], [n'], [р], [р'], and unpaired unpaired sounds include sounds [x], [x'], [ts], [h'], [w'].

But the appearance of a dull or voiced sound can be predetermined by its position in the word. Such deafness/voiceness turns out to be dependent, “forced,” and the positions in which this occurs are considered weak in deafness/voiceness.

Voiced pairs are deafened (or rather, changed to voiceless)

1) at the absolute end of the word: pond [rod];

2) in front of the deaf: booth [booth].

Voiceless paired consonants standing before voiced ones, except [v], [v'], [th'], [l], [l'], [m], [m'], [n], [n'], [р], [р'], are voiced, that is, they change to voiced: threshing [malad'ba].