ABSTRACT
All consonants involve some degree of closure or obstruction to the free passage of the breath through the mouth; the closure is complete in the case of 'stops' and approximative in 'continuants'. A convenient primary classification is based on the speech-organs with which the obstruction is effected; other classificatory features are 'voicing' (concurrent vibration of the vocal chords), 'unvoicing' (suspension of that vibration), nasalization, and others which will be explained as they occur. The primary classification yields:
(i) bilabials, with obstruction between the two lips: b, voiced stop; m, voiced nasalized stop; w, semivowel (on which see below).
