Sizzling letters of the alphabet. Hissing consonants

In Russian, consonant letters have several classifications. Let's look at them separately.

Hard and soft, paired, unpaired

All letters of the Russian alphabet, except for vowels (a, o, u, e, ы, e, yu, ya, ё, i), as well as hard (ъ) and soft (ь) signs are consonants. Only consonant sounds can be divided into soft and hard.

For example, (b)–(b´): bolt-bit, (e)–(d´): oak – business. In the first case, the consonant sound is hard, in the second it is soft.

According to hardness and softness, consonants form pairs. There are 15 such pairs. The consonants that do not have a pair are (ts), (zh), (sh), (ch), (sch), (y). For this reason they are called unpaired.

Among the unpaired 4 consonants, when pronounced, their consonants hiss, that is, they are sibilant. These are – (g), (w), (w), (h). Moreover, (w) and (g) are always hard, and (w) and (h) are always soft. You just need to remember this.

Thus, (ш) and (ж) are hard unpaired sibilant consonant sounds.

Peculiarities of using “zh” and “sh” in words

So, let's look at how these sounds manifest themselves in words. Let's do a sound-letter analysis.

Shorts – (shorts). Here the sound (w) stands next to the sound (o). There are no doubts about pronunciation and spelling.

Whisper - (sh o p a t). Since the sound (w) is always hard, the sound (e) is not able to soften it, as, for example, in the word “children,” where (d´) becomes soft. Doubts arise when choosing between “e” and “o”. IN in this case to check the spelling, select a word with the same root word with “ё” or “e” (whisper).

As for the sound (g), the same rule applies here. You just need to distinguish between the roots - zhyol and - zhog. To choose the correct spelling, we turn to the context.

For example, “Petya burned his hand.” In this context we mean action. “Burn” is a verb, so it’s written “ё”. "My father had severe burn" Here the word “burn” is a noun and it is spelled with an “o”.

Another rule: “we always write zhi-shi through I.” This means that after “zh” and “sh” “s” cannot be written. In general, the exceptions are:

• foreign words (fishu, jury);
• foreign names (Jules);
• abbreviations (inter-legal bureau).

Usually, children do not have serious difficulties understanding the difference between vowels and consonants. But we should dwell in more detail on hard and soft consonants.

How to teach children to distinguish between hard and soft consonants

The very first thing you need to teach your child: consonant sounds can be hard and soft, but not letters.

Typical error:
Children confuse sounds and letters. We remember that a sound sounds, and a letter is an icon, it is written. A letter cannot be hard or soft; only a consonant sound can be hard or soft in pronunciation.

Sometimes children can easily learn to distinguish soft and hard sounds by ear.
But it happens that this is difficult, and in this case signs will come to the rescue by which you can distinguish hard sounds from soft ones.

Distinctive features of soft and hard sounds

What sound comes after a consonant:

• If after a consonant there is a vowel a, o, u, e, s, then the consonant is hard.
• If after a consonant there is a vowel and, e, yu, i, then the consonant is soft.

Working on examples:
In the words “mama” and “nora” the consonants are hard, because they are followed by “a” and “o”.
In the words “fly” and “nanny” the consonants are soft because they are followed by “e”, “i”, “ya”.

• If another consonant sounds after a consonant, then the first consonant will be hard.
• There are sounds that can only be hard and sounds that can only be soft, no matter what sound is heard or what letter is written after them.

Always hard sounds - zh, sh, ts.
Always soft - th, h, shch.
A common way to learn these sounds is a simple technique: we write the letters that convey these sounds on a line, and emphasize “th, ch, sch.” The underscore symbolizes the cushion on which the soft sounds sit. The pad is soft, which means the sounds are soft.

Soft sign and hard sign

• If there is a consonant at the end of a word and the letter “b” after it, then the consonant is soft.

This rule is easy to apply if the child sees the written word, but it will not help if the child performs the task by ear.

Movement of the tongue when pronouncing soft and hard sounds

When pronouncing a soft sound, the tongue moves slightly forward, approaching (or touching) the palate with its middle.
When pronouncing hard sounds, the tongue does not move forward.

Table of signs of hard and soft sounds

Solid:

1. Before a, o, y, e, y.
2. At the end of a word before a consonant.
3. F, c, w.

Soft:

1. Before vowels e, ё, and, yu, I.
2. If after a consonant there is soft sign(dust, measles).
3. Y, h, sch.

A picture or simply a list of thematic words is shown, and the task is given to choose words with soft or hard consonants. For example:

Voiced and voiceless consonants

There are 11 pairs of voiced/voiceless consonants in the Russian language.
The phonetic difference between voiced and voiceless consonants lies in tension vocal cords. Voiceless sounds are pronounced with the help of noise, without straining the ligaments. Voiced sounds are pronounced by voice and are caused by vibration of the vocal cords, because air comes out of the larynx noisily.

Mnemonic technique for memorizing voiceless sounds:
Learn the phrase: “Styopka, do you want some cheek? - Fi! All consonant sounds here are unvoiced.

Examples of tasks for children

Tasks for training the differences between paired consonants can be compiled for each pair according to the following principle (using the example of the D/T pair):

Tasks for distinguishing a pair of consonants G/K

The Russian language has 21 consonants and 36 consonant sounds. Consonant letters and their corresponding consonant sounds:
b - [b], c - [c], g - [g], d - [d], g - [g], j - [th], z - [z], k - [k], l - [l], m - [m], n - [n], p - [p], p - [p], s - [s], t - [t], f - [f], x - [x ], c - [c], ch - [ch], sh - [sh], shch - [sch].

Consonant sounds are divided into voiced and voiceless, hard and soft. They are paired and unpaired. There are a total of 36 different combinations of consonants by pairing and unpairing, hard and soft, voiceless and voiced: voiceless - 16 (8 soft and 8 hard), voiced - 20 (10 soft and 10 hard).

Scheme 1. Consonants and consonant sounds of the Russian language.

Hard and soft consonants

Consonants are hard and soft. They are divided into paired and unpaired. Paired hard and paired soft consonants help us distinguish between words. Compare: horse [kon’] - kon [kon], bow [bow] - hatch [l’uk].

For understanding, let’s explain it “on the fingers”. If the consonant is in in different words means either a soft or hard sound, then the sound refers to pairs. For example, in the word cat the letter k denotes a hard sound [k], in the word whale the letter k denotes a soft sound [k’]. We get: [k] - [k’] form a pair according to hardness and softness. Sounds for different consonants cannot be classified as a pair, for example [v] and [k’] do not form a pair in terms of hardness-softness, but they do form a pair [v]-[v’]. If a consonant sound is always hard or always soft, then it belongs to unpaired consonants. For example, the sound [zh] is always hard. There are no words in the Russian language where it would be soft [zh’]. Since there is no pair [zh]-[zh’], it is classified as unpaired.

Voiced and voiceless consonants

Consonant sounds are voiced and unvoiced. Thanks to voiced and voiceless consonants, we distinguish words. Compare: ball - heat, count - goal, house - volume. Voiceless consonants are pronounced with the mouth almost closed; when pronouncing them, the vocal cords do not work. Voiced consonants require more air, the vocal cords work.

Some consonant sounds have a similar sound in the way they are pronounced, but are pronounced with different tonality - dull or voiced. Such sounds are combined in pairs and form a group of paired consonants. Accordingly, paired consonants are a pair of a voiceless and a voiced consonant.

• paired consonants: b-p, v-f, g-k, d-t, z-s, zh-sh.
• unpaired consonants: l, m, n, r, y, c, x, h, shch.

Sonorant, noisy and sibilant consonants

Sonorants are voiced unpaired consonant sounds. There are 9 sonorant sounds: [y’], [l], [l’], [m], [m’], [n], [n’], [r], [r’].
Noisy consonant sounds are voiced and unvoiced:

1. Noisy voiceless consonants (16): [k], [k"], [p], [p"], [s], [s"], [t], [t"], [f], [f "], [x], [x'], [ts], [h'], [w], [w'];
2. Noisy voiced consonant sounds (11): [b], [b'], [v], [v'], [g], [g'], [d], [d'], [g], [z ], [z'].

Hissing consonant sounds (4): [zh], [ch’], [sh], [sch’].

Paired and unpaired consonants

Consonant sounds (soft and hard, voiceless and voiced) are divided into paired and unpaired. The tables above show the division. Let's summarize everything with a diagram:

To be able to do phonetic analysis, in addition to consonant sounds, you need to know

Hissing consonant sounds got this interesting name it is no coincidence that they really seem to hiss, since they are pronounced in a special way. Our article for 2nd grade students talks about them in detail: what groups such sounds are divided into, what features and phonetic characteristics they have.

What are these sounds and how to pronounce them

Hissing sounds stand out from the rest by the acoustic noise they produce, that is, hissing. They can be pronounced correctly only with the lips open and slightly extended forward, while the teeth are almost closed. This creates a gap through which the air hisses. Thus, a striking example of a hissing consonant sound is the sound [ш], which is clearly pronounced in this way, without adding a voice. All four of these sounds are always pronounced while exhaling. At the same time, the sound does not pass from the sides: it is blocked by the tongue, pressed against the molars and hard palate. That is, in order to pronounce a hissing sound correctly, you need to “make” a ladle out of your tongue.

We can say that they are of a complex nature - they are difficult to pronounce not only for children, but also for many adults. To learn how to do this correctly, you need to monitor not only the position of your tongue and lips, but also the exhaled air: its stream passes approximately in the middle and should be wide enough. You can check this by raising your hand to your mouth.

If you monitor your articulation, you will notice that all hissing sounds are based on one thing - [w]. So, [g] appears if you add a voice to it, that is, trembling of the vocal cords. With [ш] the middle part of the tongue rises, and with [h] a stop in front of the labial-dental fissure is added to this rise.

Unpaired or paired?

The science of the Russian language believes unpaired sounds[h] and [sch], and [zh] and [sh] are paired only according to one attribute. And indeed, since there are other sounds that have a pair, they cannot be completely combined. However, there are two characteristics by which they can be combined into groups - voiced/voiceless and hard/soft. So, [zh] and [sh] are only hard sounds, and [h] and [sch] are soft. It doesn’t matter what vowels come after them. Even if you put a soft sign after the letter denoting a hard sibilant, the sound will be pronounced hard.

As for the division into voiceless and voiced, the first category includes [w], [h] and [sch], and the second - only [z], since when it is pronounced, a voice is added. Thus, [zh] and [sh] are paired on the basis of deafness/voice.

Once upon a time it was different - [f] and [w] were soft, but already from the 14th century they began to become the same as today, that is, hard.

Phonetic characteristics of hissing sounds

So, each sound has its own characteristic. To consolidate the information, you need to analyze all four separately, without mentioning in the classification that they are hissing:

• [zh] – hard, sonorous, paired.
• [w] – hard, dull, paired.
• [h] – soft, dull, unpaired.
• [sch] – soft, dull, unpaired.

What have we learned?

There are only four hissing sounds in the Russian language - these are [sh], [zh], [ch] and [sch]. They were named so because of their special manner of pronunciation. Their phonetic characteristics, the way they are pronounced, make these sounds special and complex.

This article is about what hissing sounds are in the alphabet. About how they are pronounced correctly, about their origin.

There are 33 letters in the Russian alphabet. We see letters, and we pronounce and hear sounds. There are 10 vowel sounds, 21 consonants, the letters b and b have no sounds. But the consonants Ж Ш Ш Ш have a hissing sound and are hissing letters. Since elementary school I remember well the rule about hissing words: “zhi-shi” write with “i”, “cha-sha” write with “a”, “chu-shu” write with “u”, it’s also useful to remember and know, but This is a topic for another question.)

The hissing sound in the Russian alphabet is made by four consonant letters: Zh, Sh, Ch, Shch. The letters “Zh” and “Ch” are voiced consonants, the other two letters “Sh” and “Shch” are voiceless. When pronouncing these letters, the lips behave in exactly the same way - they tense and stretch forward slightly. It will not be possible to pronounce these sounds with closed lips (compare, for example, with the pronunciation of the letter “M” - it can be “pronounced” with closed lips). The tip of the tongue is slightly pressed against the palate with its edges, leaving a small space in the center of the tongue. It is through this space (or gap) that air passes, which creates the hissing sound from the pronunciation of these letters. The air is exhaled. When pronouncing the sound "zhzhzhzhzh", the vocal cords are activated, so this sound is louder.

Pinching consonants are the consonants [sh], [zh|, [""], as well as [sh"] [zh"], so called according to the acoustic impression they produce. In the old Russian language Sh. s. [sh" ], [zh"], [V] were originally soft: they arose as a result of the first palatalization (see) or as a result of a change in combinations of consonants with /: "chj, "sj>$", *gj, "zj, "dj >z\ "kj", "tj>c" . The original softness of \w"], [zh"], [h"\ determined that in written monuments the letters denoting these consonants were used with subsequent vowels b, i, as well as l(ed) and yu: mouse, husband , sLch; nessshi, run, clean; nesoshl, zhti, hour; write, kozhukh, comfort. At the same time, the letters sh, zh, h could be used with subsequent a and u (but not s), and this indicated that , that the consonants [i/"], [zh"], [h"] did not have a solid pair and there was no need to differentiate the spelling of vowels after them.

Learning letters

In the history of Russian of the tongue [шг] and [ж"] underwent hardening, and [ch"\ was preserved as a soft consonant; hardening Sh. dates back to the 14th century: during this period, the spellings sh and z followed by the letter s appeared in monuments: live, live, Shyshkin (Spiritual Letter of Dmitry Donskoy, 1389). Modern spelling retains the traditional spelling of the letters i and ъ (at the end

nouns gender and certain forms of verbs) after w and f: sew, fat, mouse, rye, carry, don’t disturb.

Modern long Sh. s. [YAG] and [zh"] arose from

Ancient Russian combinations [sh"t"sh"], [zh"d"zh"] (going back to the combinations, respectively, "stj, "skj, *sk and "zdj, *zgj. "zg) as a result of the loss of the explosive element in these combinations in words such as looking for - [ish"t"sh"u]> >[ish"u], bream - [l"ssh"t"sh"v]>[l"esh"a], yeast - [dr6zh "d"zh"i\>\dr6zh"i], rain -

\d6zh"d"zh"ik]>[d6zh"ik]. They remain soft in many Russians. dialects and in Old Moscow. pronunciation, which formed the basis of the oral form of Lit. language (see Moscow pronunciation); in other dialects they were hardened, and

sometimes saved in the form [shch"), [zhdzh"] or [sht"], [zhd"]. In modern rus. lit. language there is a tendency to pronounce the hard [zh\: ezhu], [vbzhy], [v "iZhat"] or the combination [zhd"]