In
articulatory phonetics, a
consonant is a
speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the
vocal tract. Examples are , pronounced with the lips; , pronounced with the front of the tongue; , pronounced with the back of the tongue; , pronounced in the throat; and , pronounced by forcing air through a narrow channel (
fricatives); and and , which have air flowing through the nose (
nasals). Contrasting with consonants are
vowels.