Alveolar consonant
consonants articulated with the tongue against or close to the superior alveolar ridge
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An alveolar consonant is a consonant with the tongue close to the alveolar ridge, which is the part just behind our teeth. Alveolar consonants that are pronounced with the tip of the tongue, like in English, are called apical consonants while those pronounced using the blade of the tongue which is the flat part of the tongue behind the tip, are called laminal consonants. Alveolar consonants in English are [n], [t], [d], [s], and [l]. The alveolar consonants [n], the alveolar nasal, and [t], the voiceless alveolar plosive, are the most common sounds in human languages.
Alveolar consonants in IPA
changeThe alveolar/coronal consonants identified by the IPA are: