To: Jefffrey Epstein[jeevacation@gmail.com]
From:

Sent Fri 7/13/2018 1:31:54 PM

Subject Fwd: Laurel v Yanny Illusion" & Consonant classifications

Begin forwarded message:

Begin forwarded message:
- From: MARK TRAMO
- Subject: Laurel v Yanny "illusion" & Consonant classifications
- Date: July 12, 2018 at 6:47:57 PM EDT
- To: John Iversen; Peter Cariani; Marco Iacoboni (additional parts/addresses redacted)

## FYI-

- re: Consonant categories ofL vs Y and R vs. N - all or sonorants, voiced, and involve touching the tongue to the alveolar ridge or a little behind it. I have to admit being something ofa Liberman fan : motor theory of speech perception.

- I put together the outline below in advance ofmy call w/ Natl Geographic in a few minsxxx

*****

## LAUREL vs YANNY

## L vs Y confusion:

- both L and Y are in the "sonorant" a.k.a. "resonant" class of consonants

- both L and Y are voiced consonants

- both L and Y POA involve putting the tongue against the back of

the gums, though L is considered alveolar and Y "alveopalatal"

- both Laterals like L and Semivowels like Y involve air escaping through small apertures

— in L the air escapes around the sides of the tongue, in Y the alveopalatal aperture is

smaller than a vowel's but less restrctiive than fricatives and stops.

## L vs Y confusion: (cont.)

R and N confusion:

- both R and N are in the "sonorant" a.k.a. "resonant" class of consonants

- both R and N are voiced consonants

- both R and N have same POA = alveolar

- both MOA retroflex R and MOA nasal N block airflow at the alveolar ridge but In R it

comes out the mouth but in N it comes out the nose

*****

From:

http://facweb.furman.edu/~wrogers/phonemes/phonolo/phcons.htm

In phonetics and phonology, MOA = a sonorant orresonant is a speech sound that is produced with continuous, non-turbulent airflow in the vocal tract; these are the mannersof articulation that are most often voiced in the world's languages. Vowels are sonorants, as are consonants like /m/ and Ill: approximants, nasals, flaps or taps, and most trills.

## PLACE OF ARTICUATION

## Alveolar Consonants

- the flow of air is stopped or impeded by creating a block or a small aperture between the tongue and the alveolar ridge. Alveolars may be voiced (vocal cords vibrating during the articulation of the consonant) or voiceless (vocal cords not vibrating during the articulation of the consonant). Here is a list of the alveolars in Present-Day English.1. /V (the phoneme spelled t in tot): voiceless alveolar <u>stop.</u>

2. /d/ (the phoneme spelled din dot): voiced alveolar <u>stop.</u>

3. /s/ (the phoneme spelled s in sue): voiceless alveolar <u>fricative.</u>

4. /z/ (the phoneme spelled z in zoo): voiced alveolar <u>fricative.</u>

5. M/ (the phoneme spelled n in nail): (voiced) alveolar <u>nasal.</u>

- 6./1/ (the phoneme spelled I in let): (voiced) alveolar <u>lateral.</u>

7. /r/ (the phoneme spelled r in root): (voiced) alveolar <u>retroflex.</u>

## Alveolar Consonants (cont.)

## Alveopalatal Consonants

<table><tr><th></th><th>- Alveopalatals are consonants for which the flow of air is stopped or impeded</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>by creating a block or a small aperture between the tongue and the region of</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>the hard palate just behind the alveolar ridge. Alveopalatals may</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>be voiced (vocal cords vibrating during the articulation of the consonant)</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>or voiceless (vocal cords not vibrating during the articulation of the consonant).</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Here is a list of the alveopalatals in Present-Day English.</td></tr><tr><td>I. lc&lt;</td><td>(the phoneme spelled ch in chip): voiceless alveopalatal <u>affricate.</u></td></tr><tr><td>2. /tel</td><td>(the phoneme spelled g in gyp): voiced alveopalatal <u>affricate.</u></td></tr><tr><td>3. /s4</td><td>(the phoneme spelled sh in shore): voiceless alveopalatal <u>fricative.</u></td></tr><tr><td>4. /r4</td><td>(the phoneme spelled z in azure): voiced alveopalatal <u>fricative.</u></td></tr><tr><td>5. /j/ (the</td><td>phoneme spelled y in yard): (voiced) alveopalatal <u>semivowel.</u></td></tr></table>

## MANNER OF ARTICULATION — all the consonants in these two words are "resonant?" and all involve the tongue touching the back of the gums or hard palate

1. Lateral /I/ in Laurel vs Semivowel /y/ in Yanny

- Laterals are consonants formed by allowing the air to escape around the sides of the tongue. Present-Day English has only one lateral, which is voiced (vocal cords vibrating during the articulation of the lateral). (The lateral, the <u>nasals</u> the <u>retroflex /r/,</u> and the <u>semivowels /w/ and /j/</u> are sometimes called the resonants.)

1. /1/ (the phoneme spelled / in let): (voiced) <u>alveolar</u> lateral.

- Semivowels are vowel-like consonants: that is, the air-flow is not stopped or impeded so as to cause a friction-sound, but the aperture through which the air passes is smaller than the aperture of any vowel. Also, in forming words, semivowels appear in positions where consonants normally appear. Present-Day English has two semivowels, both of which arc voiced (vocal cords vibrating during the articulation of the nasal). (The semivowels, the <u>lateral /1/,</u> the <u>retroflex in,</u> and the <u>nasals</u> are sometimes called the resonants.)

I. /w/ (the phoneme spelled w in wet): (voiced) <u>bilabial velar</u> semivowel. (This phoneme is bilabial because it requires rounding of both lips; it is velar because the back of the tongue rises toward the velum when the phoneme is articulated.)

2. /j/ (the phoneme spelled y in yard): (voiced) <u>alveopalatal</u> semivowel.

2. Retroflex /r/ in Laurel vs Nasal /n/ in Yanny

## MANNER OF ARTICULATION — all the consonants in these two words are "resonant?" and all involve the tongue touching the back of the gums or hard palate (cont.)

- A retroflex is a consonant formed when the tongue rises toward the roof of the mouth and then retracts toward the back of the oral cavity. Present-Day English has one retroflex, which is voiced (vocal cords vibrating during the articulation of the retroflex). (The retroflex, the <u>lateral ill,</u> the <u>nasals,</u> and the <u>semivowels Rs1 and di</u> are sometimes called the resonants.)

I. /r/ (the phoneme spelled r in root): (voiced) <u>alveolar</u> retroflex.

- Nasals are consonants that are formed by blocking the oral passage and allowing the air to escape through the nose. Present-Day English has three nasals, all of which are voiced (vocal cords vibrating during the articulation of the nasal). (The nasals, the <u>lateral 114</u> the <u>retroflex /II,</u> and the <u>semivowels /w/ and j</u> are sometimes called the resonants.)

I. /m/ (the phoneme spelled m in mail): (voiced) <u>bilabial</u> nasal.

2. /n/ (the phoneme spelled n in nail): (voiced) <u>alveolar</u> nasal.

3. In/ (the phoneme spelled ng in sing): (voiced) <u>velar</u> nasal.

*******

Mark Jude Tramo, MD PhD

Dept of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dept of Musicology, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

Director, The Institute for Music & Brain Science

Co-Director, University of California Multi-Campus Music Research Initiative (UC

MERCI)

http://www.BrainMusic.org
http://merci.ucsd.edu