Liquids 🍵

Liquids are consonant sounds produced where airflow is allowed to continue through the vocal tract relatively uninhibited. There isn't a big obstruction or blockage in the mouth.

In English, the two key liquids are L-sound [l] and the R-sound [ɹ].

If you can already articulate these sounds already, notice that when you make these articulations, you’re not completely stopping the airflow (like in stops or affricates) or even creating turbulent airflow (like fricatives and affricates). Instead, the air is allowed to continue on in a continuous stream.

Think of it like a gradient of airflow. Stops involve a full cessation of airflow. Fricatives involve a narrowed, turbulent airflow. Liquids are simply less narrowed and airflow is now continuous and non-turbulent.

Unlike nasals, the flow of air is not redirected into the nose. So air is still allowed to escape via the mouth, but its direction of flow is altered by the tongue sending it in different directions within the mouth before exiting the lips.

The unique sound of each liquid is affected by the position of the tongue and the way in which the exhaling air is directed around it.

There are two primary types of liquids:

• laterals in which the air is directed toward the sides of the mouth,

• and non-laterals in which the flow of air is altered but still directed forward.

I'll go into the specific cues for each of the individual sounds posts later.

The main take away for you is to understand and gain a better appreciation of the differences in the manner of articulation involved in liquids as compared with stops, fricatives, affricates, and nasals.

This understanding will help you identify key differences between the different kinds of consonant sounds.