 Place of articulation

Place of articulation identifies where speech articulators form a constriction or closure. A description can specify an active articulator, such as the tongue, and the surface it approaches. A bilabial consonant uses both lips; a labiodental consonant uses the lower lip and upper teeth; a velar consonant involves the back of the tongue near the soft palate.^[ref]

For example, [f] and [v] share a labiodental location, while their typical voicing classifications differ. Conversely, describing a sound as a fricative specifies manner of articulation without identifying which constriction produces it. The paired descriptions make the physical classification more informative.

The place is an approximate region and relation between articulators, rather than a single universal coordinate in the mouth. Neighboring sounds can change the detailed movement while leaving the broad category useful.