Alveolar Fricatives

Description
The soft palate is raised and the nasal resonator shut ff. The blade of the tongue
makes a light contact with the upper alveolar ridge and the side rims of the
tongue make a close contact with the upper side teeth.
The air stream escapes through a narrow groove in the centre of the tongue and
causes friction between the tongue and the alveolar ridge. There is a very little
opening between the teeth.
The tip of the tongue is in contact with the lower teeth, so that friction is
produced between the blade of the tongue and the alveolar ridge.
The lip position will depend on the adjacent vowel – spread lip position for «see»
and «zeal», and rounded lip position for «soon» and «zoo».
Place of Articulation

Tongue + Alveolar Ridge

 Muscular Effort

Voiced
The friction is voiced (with vibration of the vocal folds). It is Lenis because of
the need of less muscular energy to produce sound.
 Muscular Effort

Voiceless
The friction is voiceless (without vibration of the vocal folds). It is Fortis
because it needs a stronger muscular effort to produce sound.
 Spelling Forms

Voiceless
«S» → So
«SE» → Tense
«SS» → Kiss
«C» → Recieve
«CE» → Niece
«SC» → Science
«X» → Climax (/ks/)
 Spelling Forms

Voiced
«S» → Bars
«SE» → Rose
«Z» → Zoo
«X» → Xilofone
«X» → Exact (/gz/)
 Allophones

/S/ /Z/
No important allophonic ● Partially voiced when it
variations. Depends on the occurs initially (after
adjacent vowel. silcente). I.E. Zebra
● May be completely
devoiced in final position
(before silence). I.E. Boys
 Nouns or Verbs Ending in “S”

Rule #1: /s/ Rule #2: /z/ Rule #3: /iz/

When the noun When the noun When the noun
in the singular or in the singular or in the singular or
the verb in the the verb in the the verb in the
infinitive ends ina infinitive ends ina infinitive ends ina
voiceless voiced sound sibilant sound
consonant (other (vowel, semi (/s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/,
than s, ʃ, tʃ), the vowel, /ʒ/, /dʒ/), the
plural form will consonants other plural form will
be than /z/, /ʒ/, be pronounced
pronounced /s/. /dʒ/), the plural /iz/. I.E.
I.E. «Keeps» - form will be «Ilnesses» -
«Eats». pronounced /z/. «Pushes»
I.E. «Studies» -
«Needs»
 Advice for Foreign Learners

/s/ & /z/

In many languages, specially those where there are no
dental fricatives, /s/ and /z/ are articulated nearer to the
teeth than in the English language. Such dentalized
articulation must be avoided in English because of the
danger of confusion with /θ/ and /ð/. A more retracted
articulation for /s/ and /z/ should be practised in opposition
with /θ/ and /ð/ in pairs such as: sing – thing; sort – though;
close – clothe; mouse – mouth.