The sounding chart

Sounds can be sorted by where the mouth makes them. Say /p/, /t/, /k/ slowly: the first is made with the lips, the second with the tongue just behind the top teeth, the third far back in the mouth. The sound walks backwards.

Now put a hand on your throat and say /b/, then /p/. Your throat buzzes for /b/ and is still for /p/. Many sounds come in pairs like this — the same place in the mouth, buzzing or quiet.

A sounding chart puts the consonants in a grid: where in the mouth across the top, how the air is let out down the side, buzzing and quiet side by side. Phoneticians use one chart for every language.