Lesson Three: The Basics of the Symbol /b/

The lesson will be about the sound /b/. It is next to /p/, in the "Bilabial" column, and the "Plosive" row.

Again, a quick reminder that the letter 'b' is not the same as the symbol /b/.

Like the symbol /p/, /b/ is a bilabial plosive. It is made by putting both lips together, and then releasing a small puff of air.

That is a very important thing to remember: /b/ and /p/ are very similar. To master /b/ and /p/, you have to realize how they are similar, and how they are different.

Say the following minimal pairs:

1. bat     pat
2. pit     bit
3. bin    pin

Say them very slow. Do you notice how your mouth moves in almost the same way for both sounds?
There are several differences in these sounds, however the largest difference is in their voicing.

/p/ is a unvoiced sound. /b/ is a voiced sound.

To feel the difference, put your hand on your throat, and very slowly say the following words:

1. pot     pot     pot
2. bot     bot     bot

If you are saying the /p/ correctly, your throat should not vibrate until after you open your mouth.
If you are saying the /b/ correctly, your throat should vibrate before you open your mouth. 

If you do not feel a significant difference between these sounds, you probably found something you need to work on. Many languages do not distinguish between these sounds, or have significant differences from English. Some examples are Hindi, Urdu, and Arabic. However, it is likely that no matter your native language, you will have some minor differences with English, and you should still practice the distinction.

Voice Onset Time: Differences between /b/ and /p/

To have a complete understanding of the primary difference between these sounds, we need to review voice onset time. Remember that VOT is when your throat starts vibrating in regard to when you open your mouth.

With /p/, you start vibrating your throat after you open your mouth:

pot   pot   pot   pot

With /b/, you start vibrating your throat before you open your mouth:

bot   bot   bot   bot

To practice the difference, try to exaggerate the difference.

1. p.........ot
2. mmmbot

Conclusion

The symbol /b/ is a voiced, bilabial plosive. The voicing starts before you mouth opens, and continues. This is unlike /p/, where the voicing starts after you open your mouth.

Practice

Try to pay particular attention to when the voicing starts. Listen to me say it, and record yourself saying it as well. Compare the two.

1. bite     bite     bite     bite     bite
2. boat    boat    boat    boat    boat
3. about     about     about     about
4. bring     bring     bring     bring

I'll post a more extensive worksheet soon. Practice, practice, practice!