Description of Polish Obstruents, Nasals and Liquids

Description of Polish obstruents, nasals and liquids

1. Classification of consonants 2

2. Stops 2

2.1. Production 2

2.2. Types of releases 3

3. Distribution 3

3.1. Glottal stop 4

3.2. Exercises 4

3.2.1. p/, /b/ in consonant clusters 5

3.2.2. t/, /d/ in consonant clusters 5

3.2.3. k/, /g/ in consonant clusters 5

4. Fricatives 6

4.1. Atriculatory features 6

4.2. Distribution 6

4.3. Exercises 8

4.3.1. f/, /v/ in consonant clusters 8

4.3.2. s/, /z/ in consonant clusters 8

4.3.3. ʃ/, /ʒ/ in consonant clusters 9

4.3.4. ɕ/, /ʑ/ in contrast 9

4.3.5. ɕ/, /ʑ/ in consonant clusters 9

4.3.6. contrast /s/, /ʃ/, /ɕ/ 10

4.3.7. contrast /z/, /ʒ/, /ʑ/ 10

4.3.8. x/ in consonant clusters 10

5. Affricates 11

5.1. Atriculatory features 11

5.2. Distribution 12

5.3. Exercises 12

5.3.1. t^s/, /d^z/ in contrast and in consonant clusters 12

5.3.2. t^ʃ/, /d^ʒ/ in contrast and in consonant clusters 13

5.3.3. t^ɕ/, /d^ʑ/ in contrast and in consonant clusters 13

5.3.4. t^s/, /t^ʃ/ and /t^ɕ/ in contrast 13

5.3.5. d^z/, /d^ʒ/ and /d^ʑ/ in contrast 14

5.3.6. Affricates in contrast with plosive+fricative 14

6. Nasals 15

6.1. General remarks 15

6.2. Distribution 15

6.3. Exercises 16

6.3.1. Contrast /ɲ/ - /n/ 16

6.3.2. Contrast /ɲ/ - /m/ 16

6.3.3. Contrast /ɲ/ - /n/ - /m/ 16

6.3.4. N/ before /k/ and /g/ 16

6.3.5. Nasal clusters /mn/, /mɲ/, /ɲm/ 16

6.3.6. Realization of /nɲ/ (alternatively pronounced as geminate /ɲɲ/) 17

7. Liquids 17

7.1. Lateral approximant /l/ 17

7.2. Trill /r/ 17

7.3. Exercises 18

7.3.1. Contrast /r/ - /l/ 18

7.3.2. r/ and /l/ in consonants clusters 18

1.  Classification of consonants

obstruents:
noticeably restricted airflow, the articulators are in complete closure or close approximation / stricture type / stops:
complete closure of two articulators + velic closure
fricatives:
narrowing of two articulators + a turbulent airstream
affricates:
sequence of a plosive+fricative (involving a specific transition)
sonorants:
free passage of the airflow through the vocal tract; no restriction in the oral tract or nasal tract opened / consonants / nasals:
complete closure of two articulators + soft palate lowered
liquids
a)lateral approximants:
the obstruction is located centrally and the air passes out at the side
b) trills:
articulator set in vibration by the airstream
glides (approximants):
approximation of two articulators with no turbulent airstream
vowels / oral:
free passage of the airflow through the vocal tract, nasal tract blocked off
nasal:
free passage of the airflow through the vocal tract: nasal tract opened

2.  Stops

2.1. Production

Depending on the place of articulation we distinguish the following stops in Polish:

a)  bilabial: /p/, /b/

b)  post-dental: /t/, /d/

c)  palatal: /c/, /ɟ/

d)  velar: /k/, /g/

In general, the production of stops involves three stages:

a)  closing: the active articulator is raised to come in a firm contact with the passive articulator

b)  closure: the articulators remain in contact and the pressure of the airstream behind the closure is built up

c)  release: the active articulator is lowered and the air is released with some force

In connected speech the closing and/or release stage may be missing. The closure stage is what decides whether the sound is a stop or not.

If a stop follows a homorganic stop (i.e. a stop of the same place of articulation) then there is no closing stage, e.g. dąb /domp/, zmoknięty /zmokɲenty/

If a stop precedes a homorganic stop then its release stage is missing e.g. “to jest dom”

The same phenomena are observed if two identical plosives follow one another e.g. “jest to”

2.2. Types of releases

Depending on the context the release stage may involve different articulatory actions.

a)  Nasal release: It can occur in clusters of a plosive followed by a nasal (pm, bm, tn, dn, kɲ and gɲ) of the same place of articulation: after the release of the closure the oral tract can still be blocked off (by the active articulator) and the pressure of the air increases to such an extent that it forces its way through the nasal tract by lowering velum for the nasal.

b)  Lateral release: occurs in clusters of an post-dental plosive preceding an alveolar lateral approximant /l/ e.g. tlen (PL). The centre of the tongue tip remains in contact with the alveolar ridge for the /l/ and the built-up air is released when the sides of the tongue lower.

3.  Distribution

/p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/ and /g/ do not occur before /i/ and /j/.

Before /i/ and /j/ palatal (or palatalized) variants are realized: /p,/, /b,/, /t,/, /d,/, /c/, /ɟ/.

Palatalized /p,/ and /b,/ are pronounced with a greater degree of lip spreading and with the body of the tongue raised towards the hard palate comparing to non-palatal /p/ and /b/.

In case of dental /t,/ and /d,/ the place of articulation is moved to the back (i.e. towards the hard palate) the and in case of palatalized /c/, /ɟ/ more to the front of mouth comparing to the non-palatal variants.

Clusters consisting of /k/ or /g/ followed by /ɨ/ are rare and occur mostly in words of a foreign origin (e.g. kynolog) or proper names (e.g. Kydryński, Kyrenia).

In Polish aspiration is not a regular feature of voiceless plosives as it is in English. It can occur, but it is speaker dependent rather than context dependent.

(There are two additional allophonic variants of dental /t/ and /d/ which are realized only before alveolar fricatives /ʃ/ and /ʒ/, and transcribed as /ḍ/ and /ṭ/ e.g. trzeba / ṭʃeba/, drzewo /ḍʒevo/.)

3.1. Glottal stop

In Polish it is realized only in the context of vowels when they occur word-initially, in the position of a hiatus (at the morpheme boundary: one ending and the other starting with a vowel) or pronounced in isolation e.g. nauka /naʔuka/, uiścić /ʔuʔiɕtɕitɕ/, o /ʔoʔ/.

3.2. Exercises

3.2.1.  /p/, /b/ in consonant clusters

dać-dbać / dat^ɕ dbat^ɕ
darzyć-obdarzyć / daʒɨt^ɕ obdaʒɨt^ɕ
tak-ptak / tak ptak
kroki-kropki / kroci kropci
gór-gbur / gur gbur
kacie-kapcie / kat^ɕe kapt^ɕe
zadać-zbadać / zadat^ɕ zbadat^ɕ
wić-wbić / vit^ɕ vbit^ɕ
wieża-wierzba / vjeʒa vjeʒba
Ten gbur nie dba o swoje psy. / ten gbur ɲe dba o sfoje psɨ
Chłopcy mają podobne czapki, spodnie i kapcie. / xwopt^sɨ majow~ podobne t^ʃapci spodɲe i kapt^ɕe
Nad brzegiem rośnie wierzba płacząca i bzy. / nad bʒeɟjem roɕɲe vjeʒba pwat^ʃont^sa i bzɨ

3.2.2.  /t/, /d/ in consonant clusters

len-tlen / len tlen
za-zda / za zda
kura-która / kura ktura
łany-ładny / wanɨ wadnɨ
usną-ustną / usnow~ ustnow~
dziesiąte-dziesiątce / d^ʑeɕonte d^ʑeɕontt^se
maki-matki / maci matci
lis-list / lis list
kosz-koszt / koʃ koʃt
krzywa-krzywda / kʃɨva kʃɨvda
Magda ma wyjazd z dworca w Bydgoszczy. / magda ma vɨjazd z dvort^sa v bɨdgoʃt^ʃɨ
Aktor był głodny, dlatego zjadł kotlet i sałatkę z octem. / aktor bɨw gwodnɨ dlatego zjatw kotled i sawatke z ot^stem

3.2.3.  /k/, /g/ in consonant clusters

wjazd-gwiazd / vjast gvjast
gubić-zgubić / gubit^ɕ zgubit^ɕ
Zosia-Zośka / zoɕa zoɕka
wróżę-wróżkę / vruʒe vruʃke
rzep-grzeb / ʒep gʒep
akademiki-akademicki / akademici akademit^sci
brama-bramka / brama bramka
mina-gmina / mina gmina
ono-okno / ono okno
na-gna / na gna
bania-bańka / baɲa baɲka
sunie-suknie / suɲe sukɲe
piła-piłka / piwa piwka
Maleńkie dziecko biegnie do szkoły gminnej. / maleɲcje d^ʑet^sko bjegɲe do ʃkowɨ gminnej
Sędzia zagwizdał gdy piłka wpadła do bramki. / seɲd^ʑa zagvizdaw gdɨ piwka fpadwa do bramci
Zgubiłam gdzieś grzebień w knajpie. / zgubiwam gd^ʑeʑ gʒebjeɲ f knajpje
Zośka siedzi na oknie i żegna się z Wołgą. / zoɕka ɕed^ʑi na okɲe i ʒegna ɕe z vowgow~

4.  Fricatives

4.1. Atriculatory features

They are produced with a close approximation of active and passive articulator which form a narrow gap in the vocal tract. What is also critical in the production of fricatives is the mass and velocity of the air (Jassem). If the gap created by the articulators is small relative to the mass and velocity of the air, then the airstream from the lungs becomes disturbed, particles of the air start to vibrate irregularily (i.e. non-periodically) and the source of a friction is created. These non-periodical vibrations and the friction constitute the acoustic-auditory features of fricatives.

Depending on the location of the narrow gap between the active and passive articulators the following types of fricatives are distinguished:

a)  labio-dental: /f/, /v/

b)  dental: /s/, /z/

c)  alveolar: /ʃ/, /ʒ/

d)  alveolo-palatal: /ɕ/, /ʑ/

e)  velar: /x/

4.2. Distribution

Voiced fricatives /v/, /z/, /ʒ/ and /ʑ/ do not occur word-finally – in this position the corresponding voiceless variants are realized (/f/, /s/, /ʃ/ and /ɕ/ respectively).

The alveolo-palatal /ɕ/, /ʑ/ occur mostly before vowels except for /ɨ/.

/f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/ and /x/) before /i/ and /j/ are realized as palatalized variants: /f,/, /v,/, /s,/, /z,/, /ʃ,/, /ʒ,/ and /x,/). Comparing to their non-palatal counterparts they are articulated with the body of the tongue raised towards the hard palate.

In case of palatalized /f,/ and /v,/ the gap created by the approximating articulators is greater than that used in the production of non-palatal /f/ and /v/. Compare:

chwała vs. chwila: /xfawa/ /xf,ila/

wada vs. wina: /vada/ /v,ina/

In case of palatalized /s,/, /z,/, /ʃ,/ and /ʒ,/ the place of articulation is moved more to the back of the oral tract comparing to their non-palatalized (standard) counterparts. Compare:

sam vs. sinus: /sam/ /s,inus/

koza vs. Zanzibar: /koza/ /zanz,ibar/

szok vs. Sziwa: /ʃok/ /ʃ,iwa/

żuk vs. reżim: /ʒuk/ /reʒ,im/

In case of /x,/ the place of articulation is moved more to the front of the oral tract comparing to the non-palatalized variant /x/. Compare:

chata vs. Chiny: /xata/ /x,inɨ/

4.3. Exercises

4.3.1.  /f/, /v/ in consonant clusters

chodzić-wchodzić / xod^ʑit^ɕ fxod^ʑit^ɕ
nęka-wnęka / neŋka vneŋka
mawiać-wmawiać / mavjat^ɕ vmavjat^ɕ
lew-wlew / lef vlef
runie-równie / ruɲe ruvɲe
bary-barwy / barɨ barvɨ
dzik-dźwig / d^ʑik d^ʑvik
sad-wsad / sat fsat
szedł-Szwed / ʃet ʃfet
Szwed żwawo wchodzi do wnętrza i wzywa pomoc. / ʃfed ʒvavo fxod^ʑi do vnentʃa i vzɨva pomot^s
Na dźwięk dzwonka łyżwiarz na chwilę przerwał ćwiczenia. / na d^ʑvjeŋg d^zvoŋka wɨʒvjaʒ na xfile pʃervaw t^ɕfit^ʃeɲa
Nie wmówisz mi, że właściciel hurtowni to równy gość. / ɲe vmuviʒ mi ʒe vwaɕt^ɕit^ɕel xurtovɲi to ruvnɨ goɕt^ɕ

4.3.2.  /s/, /z/ in consonant clusters

myć-zmyć / mɨt^ɕ zmɨt^ɕ
nać-znać / nat^ɕ znat^ɕ
niknąć-zniknąć / ɲiknoɲt^ɕ zɲiknoɲt^ɕ
zielenieć-zzielenieć / ʑeleɲet^ɕ zʑeleɲet^ɕ
żyć-zżyć / ʒɨt^ɕ zʒɨt^ɕ
koła-kozła / kowa kozwa
marnie-marznie / marɲe marzɲe
ława-łzawa / wava wzava
tor-tors / tor tors
szyć-zszyć / ʃɨt^ɕ sʃɨt^ɕ
siadać-zsiadać / ɕadat^ɕ sɕadat^ɕ
chody-schody / xodɨ sxodɨ
Zziajany Zbyszek zsiadł z kozła i wszedł po schodach. / zʑajanɨ zbɨʃek sɕatw s kozwa i fʃetw po sxodax
Prezes wyznał, że zrzeszenie ma zszarganą opinię. / prezez vɨznaw ʒe zʒeʃeɲe ma sʃarganow~ opiɲe
Zamarzam i jestem zmęczony, nie idę dziś na kurs. / zamarzam i jestem zment^ʃonɨ ɲe ide d^ʑiʑ na kurs

4.3.3.  /ʃ/, /ʒ/ in consonant clusters

mara-marża / mara marʒa
far-farsz / far farʃ
han-chrzan / xan xʃan
runie-różnie / ruɲe ruʒɲe
poła-poszła / powa poʃwa
rama-szrama / rama ʃrama
loch-szloch / lox ʃlox
mąka-mrzonka / moŋka mʒoŋka
lej-lżej / lej lʒej
mer-szmer / mer ʃmer
myca-mszyca / mɨt^sa mʃɨt^sa
mija-żmija / mija ʒmija
W oberży chłopy żrą dorsza z chrzanem i żłopią piwo. / v oberʒɨ xwopɨ ʒrow~ dorʃa s xʃanem i ʒwopjow~ pivo
Żniwa zniszczyła mżawka i szron. / ʒɲiva zɲiʃt^ʃɨwa mʒafka i ʃron
Dalszą trasę przeszła czarnym szlakiem. / dalʃow~ trase pʃeʃwa t^ʃarnɨm ʃlacjem
Ulżyło mu że zrzucił jarzmo i koszmar się skończył. / ulʒɨwo mu ʒe zʒut^ɕiw jaʒmo i koʃmar ɕe skoɲt^ʃɨw
Nie pieprz Pietrze wieprza pieprzem, bo przepieprzysz pieprzem wieprza. / ɲe pjepʃ pjetʃe vjepʃa pjepʃem bo pʃepjepʃɨʃ pjepʃem vjepʃa

4.3.4.  /ɕ/, /ʑ/ in contrast

śle-źle / ɕle ʑle
sioło-zioło / ɕowo ʑowo
Basia-bazia / baɕa baʑa
łasić-łazić / waɕit^ɕ waʑit^ɕ
rasie-razie / raɕe raʑe
pasie-pazie / paɕe paʑe
nieśli-nieźli / ɲeɕli ɲeʑli
Kasia-Kazia / kaɕa kaʑa
dusi-duzi / duɕi duʑi
Śledczy odnaleźli ściganego śledząc ślady na ścieżce. / ɕlett^ʃɨ odnaleʑli ɕt^ɕiganego ɕled^zont^s ɕladɨ na ɕt^ɕeʃt^se
Zimą jadam ziemniaki z kozim serem i ziołami. / ʑimow~ jadam ʑemɲaci s koʑim serem i ʑowami
Ziutek i Stasiu to duzi chłopcy. / ʑuteɟ i staɕu to duʑi xwopt^sɨ
Kasia z Kaziem to źle dobrana para. / kaɕa s kaʑem to ʑle dobrana para

4.3.5.  /ɕ/, /ʑ/ in consonant clusters

pisz-śpisz / piʃ ɕpiʃ
nić-śnić / ɲit^ɕ ɕɲit^ɕ
Baś-baśń / baɕ baɕɲ
Lena-leśna / lena leɕna
rany-raźny / ranɨ raʑnɨ
lepy-ślepy / lepɨ ɕlepɨ
zielenieć-zzielenieć / ʑeleɲet^ɕ zʑeleɲet^ɕ
kole-koźle / kole koʑle
miał-śmiał / mjaw ɕmjaw
sinieć-zsinieć / ɕiɲet^ɕ sɕiɲet^ɕ
Wolisz baśń o Królowej Śniegu czy Śpiącej Królewnie? / voliʒ baʑɲ o krulovej ɕɲegu t^ʃɨ ɕpjont^sej krulevɲe
Na widok żółwia ślimak wyraźnie zzieleniał z zazdrości. / na vidog ʒuwvja ɕlimag vɨraʑɲe zʑeleɲaw z zazdroɕt^ɕi
To źle, że rozsiewasz te śmieszne plotki. / to ʑle ʒe rosɕevaʃ te ɕmjeʃne plotci

4.3.6.  contrast /s/, /ʃ/, /ɕ/

syna-szyna-sina / sɨna ʃɨna ɕina
Sara-szara-siara / sara ʃara ɕara
syta-szyta-sita / sɨta ʃɨta ɕita
sali-szali-siali / sali ʃali ɕali
kasa-kasza-Kasia / kasa kaʃa kaɕa
ryś-ryż-rys / rɨɕ rɨʃ rɨs
kosy-koszy-kosi / kosɨ koʃɨ koɕi
nosy-noszy-nosi / nosɨ noʃɨ noɕi
cisy-ciszy-cisi / t^ɕisɨ t^ɕiʃɨ t^ɕiɕi
pasę-paszę-pasie / pase paʃe paɕe
Szedł Sasza suchą szosą w czasie suszy. / ʃetw saʃa suxow~ ʃosow~ f t^ʃaɕe suʃɨ
Kasia zanosi koszyk z kaszą do kasy. / kaɕa zanoɕi koʃɨk s kaʃow~ do kasɨ
Wiesia wiesza na krześle siennik w szarej poszewce. / vjeɕa vjeʃa na kʃeɕle ɕenɲik f ʃarej poʃeft^se

4.3.7.  contrast /z/, /ʒ/, /ʑ/

zonie-żonie-zionie / zoɲe ʒoɲe ʑoɲe
grozę-grożę-grozie / groze groʒe groʑe
kozę-korze-kozie / koze koʒe koʑe
gazę-gaże-gazie / gaze gaʒe gaʑe
muzę-murze-muzie / muze muʒe muʑe
łzę-łże-łzie / wze wʒe wʑe
pozę-porze-pozie / poze poʒe poʑe
Kozie i zebrze wystają żebra. / koʑe i zebʒe vɨstajow~ ʒebra
W wazie jest zimna zupa ziemniaczana z zieleniną. / v vaʑe jezd ʑimna zupa ʑemɲat^ʃana z ʑeleɲinow~
Kazia wiezie w wozie bazie i zioła. / kaʑa vjeʑe v voʑe baʑe i ʑowa
Wróżę Rózi duży sukces i życie usłane różami. / vruʒe ruʑi duʒɨ sukt^sez i ʒɨt^ɕe uswane ruʒami

4.3.8.  /x/ in consonant clusters

ciało-chciało / t^ɕawo xt^ɕawo
łodzie-chłodzie / wod^ʑe xwod^ʑe
murka-chmurka / murka xmurka
ronić-chronić / roɲit^ɕ xroɲit^ɕ
falą-chwalą / falow~ xfalow~
jad-jacht / jat jaxt
tnie-tchnie / tɲe txɲe
spiż-spichrz / spiʃ spixʃ
zmierz-zmierzch / zmjeʃ zmjeʃx
Czy masz ochotę na szachy? / t^ʃɨ maʒ oxote na ʃaxɨ
Halinka macha chustką na odchodne. / xaliŋka maxa xustkow~ na otxodne
Chcę popłynąć jachtem do zachodnich Włoch. / xt^se popwɨnoɲd^ʑ jaxtem do zaxodɲix vwox
O zmierzchu schronił się przed chłodem w chatce Stacha. / o zmjeʃxu sxroɲiw ɕe pʃet xwodem f xatt^se staxa

5.  Affricates

5.1. Atriculatory features

They are not very common in the languages of the world. Usually, if a language has affricates they are represented by a small number of variants. In this respect Polish is exceptional as it distinguishes three types of affricates: