Consonants

Gutturals, Dentals, and Labials.

According to an observation which we find already in Vaidik grant' mars, the principal consonantal stops in any language are:—

the guttural (k),
the dental (t),
the labial (p).

The pure guttural sound, without any regard as yet to its modifications (whether tenuis, media, aspirata, nasalis, semi-vocalis, or flatus), is produced by stopping the stream of sound by means of a contact between the root of the tongue and the throat, or, more correctly, the soft palate, or the velum pendulum. The throat is called the "place," the root of the tongue the "instrument," of the guttural.

The pure dental sound is produced by contact between tongue and teeth. Here the teeth are called the " place," and the tip of the tongue the "instrument."

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The pure labial sound is produced by contact between the upper and lower lip; the upper lip being the "place," the lower the "instrument."

All consonants, excluding semi-vowels and sibilants or flatus, are formed by a complete contact between the active and passive organ.